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THE  HOME-MA KFflG:  SBRJES-', 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


AN  ELEMENTARY.  TEXTBOOK  OF  HOME  MAKING 


BY 
HELEN    KINNE 

PROFESSOR    OF    HOUSEHOLD    ARTS    EDUCATION,   TEACHERS    COLLEGE 

COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY,  AUTHOR  OF  "  FOOD   AND   HOUSEHOLD 

MANAGEMENT"   AND   "SHELTER   AND   CLOTHING" 

AND 

ANNA    M.   COOLEY,   B.S. 

ASSISTANT   PROFESSOR   OF   HOUSEHOLD    ARTS   EDUCATION,   TEACHERS   COLLEGE 

COLUMBIA   UNIVERSITY,    AUTHOR   OF   "  FOOD   AND    HOUSEHOLD 

MANAGEMENT"   AND   "SHELTER  AND   CLOTHING" 


THE    MACMILLAN    COMPANY 

1918 

Jill  rights  reserved 


T       *       •*     9  ,  -3     •         f 


..i^ 


Copyright,  1916, 
By  the  macmillan  company. 


Set  up  and  elcctrotyped.     Published  July,  1916.     Reprinted 
July,  September,  1917. 

QBt 

EDUCATION  DEFT. 


NorinaotJ  ^reaa 

r.  8.  Gushing  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 

Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


PREFACE 

This  volume,  like  its  companion.  Clothing  and  Healthy  is 
intended  for  use  in  the  elementary  schools  in  those  sections 
of  the  country  where  the  home  life  is  of  the  type  described. 
It  is  hoped  that  both  volumes  will  be  used  by  the  home 
people  as  well  as  by  the  school  children.  This  volume 
treats  largely  of  food  problems,  including  something  of 
raising  food  and  of  selling  it,  in  addition  to  the  preparation 
of  food  at  school  and  at  home.  Such  topics  as  the  water 
supply,  disposal  of  waste,  and  other  sanitary  matters  are 
woven  in  with  the  lessons  on  nutrition  and  cookery.  There 
are  a  number  of  simple  recipes,  all  of  which  have  been 
.carefully  tested,  and  some  of  which  have  been  taken  from 
Foods  and  Household  Management^  Kinne-Cooley.  The 
authors  again  acknowledge  their  indebtedness  to  Mrs.  Lin- 
coln, Miss  Farmer,  and  Miss  Barrows.  Several  recipes 
are  adapted  from  Just  How,  a  key  to  the  cook  books,  by 
Mrs.  A.  D.  T.  Whitney ;  and  others  are  original  and  have 
been  contributed  by  other  friends.  A  number  are  borrowed 
from  Home  Economics  Recipes  by  Miss  Mary  Beals  Vail, 
now  of  Mills  College,  California,  formerly  of  Teachers 
College,  Columbia  University.  Professor  Van  Arsdale, 
Miss  Bertha  E.  Shapleigh,  Miss  Mary  McCormick,  Miss 
Mary  E.  Pillsbury,  all  of  Teachers  College,  Columbia 
University,    and    several  of  their  students  kindly  assisted 


iv  PREFACE 

in  arranging  for  photographs.  Indeed,  the  authors  are  in- 
debted to  the  members  of  the  staff  of  the  School  of  Practical 
Arts  for  their  friendliness  and  inspiration. 

The  volume  is  greatly  enriched  by  pictures  and  notes 
culled  from  the  bulletins  issued  by  the  New  York  State 
College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  University ;  and  the 
authors  are  glad  to  aid  thus  in  extending  beyond  the 
boundaries  of  New  York.  State  the  valuable  work  accom- 
plished by  Miss  Martha  Van  Rensselaer  and  other  members 
of  the  University  staff. 

The  picture  of  the  Pleasant  Valley  School  is  adapted 
from  a  photograph  of  a  school  in  Mendocino  Co.,  CaH- 
fornia,  kindly  furnished  by  Mrs.  Anna  Porterfield,  County 
Superintendent.  Several  illustrations  have  been  adapted 
from  cuts  in  bulletins  published  by  the  Ohio  State  Uni- 
versity. 

The  pamphlets  published  by  the  Government  Bureaus 
at  Washington,  D.C.,  are,  also,  a  source  of  interesting  and 
accurate  information  for  all  the  citizens  of  the  country. 


CONTENTS 


The  Pleasant  Valley  School 
Chapter  I.    Introductory 


FAGS 
I 


Luncheon  at  School: 
Proper  Foods  for  the  School  Luncheon 
Water  and  Fruit  Beverages  . 
Cocoa  for  the  School  Luncheon 
The  Value  of  Milk  as  a  Food 
Bread  as  a  Staple  Food 
Making  Bread 

Other  Dishes  for  the  School  Luncheon 
A  Picnic  Luncheon       .         .         .         , 

The  Home  Supper: 

Preparing  Supper 

Dishes  Suitable  for  Supper  . 

Other  Supper  Dishes    . 

The  Canning  of  Fruit  and  Vegetables 

The  Value  of  Fruit  in  the  Diet     . 

The  Value  of  Potatoes  as  Food     . 

Griddlecakes  and  Sweet  Cake 

Clearing  Up  .... 

Chapter  IV.     The  Home  Breakfast: 
Lesson  17.    Suitable  Breakfast  Dishes     . 
Lesson  18.    Breakfast  Cereals 
Lesson  19.    The  Value  of  Eggs  as  Food 
Lesson  20.    Quick  Breads 
Lesson  21.   The  Kitchen 


Chapter  II 

. 

Lesson 

I. 

Lesson 

2. 

Lesson 

3- 

Lesson 

4- 

Lesson 

5- 

Lesson 

6. 

Lesson 

7- 

Lesson 

8. 

Chapter  III. 

Lesson 

9- 

Lesson 

10. 

Lesson 

II. 

T  .psson 

12. 

Lesson 

13- 

Lesson 

14. 

Lesson 

15- 

Lesson 

16. 

26 

32 
40 
48 

55 
61 


69 
82 

87 
92 
108 
117 
126 
^33 


146 
156 
166 
177 
1 86 


vi  CONTENTS 

rAGB 

Chapter  V.    The  Home  Dinner: 

Lesson  22.   Menus  for  Dinner 198 

Lesson  23.  Meat  as  Food 204 

Lesson  24.    Fresh  Vegetables          . 219 

Lesson  25.   Dishes  for  Dessert 234 

Lesson  26.   Cooking  Apparatus .  246 

Lesson  27.   The  Care  of  Food 256 

Chapter  VL    Other  Facts  about  Food: 

Lesson  28.    A  Study  of  loo-Calorie  Portions 268 

Lesson  29.    Buying  and  Selling  Food 280 

\The  Ellen  H.  Richards  House 289 

Pages  from  Marjorie  Allen's  Notebook       .        .        »        .        .  292 


-#4, 

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THE   PLEASANT  VALLEY  SCHOOL 


This  is  a  story  of  the  way  in  which  the  mothers  and 
fathers,  the  teacher  and  pupils,  and  their  friends  in  the 
township  work  together  to  make  the  broad  valley  in 
which  they  live  truly  a  Pleasant  Valley.  The  new 
school  stands  where  the  little  red  schoolhouse  was  built 
for  those  who  are  now  grandmothers  and  grandfathers, 
when  the  town  was  first  settled.  The  old  building  had 
become  too  small  for  all  the  young  folk,  but  everybody 
loved  the  place  ;  and  it  was  not  until  a  fire  had  de- 
stroyed it  that  money  was  voted  for  larger  and  better 
housing  for  the  school  girls  and  boys. 

This  small  book  can  describe  only  a  part  of  every- 


*y  : 


2     ^  '    .  _.,.  rOOO  AND  HEALTH 

thing  that  is  being  done  in  and  for  the  school,  and  for 
the  home  people,  too ;  for  you  know  that  no  town  can 
prosper  and  no  country  can  be  great  unless  the  homes 
are  healthful  and  happy,  where  all  the  members  of  every 
family  work  and  play  together.  Do  you  not  want  to 
help,  too,  in  your  home  and  in  your  home  town  ? 


■j.Jffr^V;), 


Little  red  schoolhouse. 


CHAPTER   I 

INTRODUCTORY 

What  are  some  of  the  important  facts  about  food  and  sanita- 
tion that  a  girl  may  learn,  useful  to  herself  and  in  her  home  ? 

When  the  cool  weather  of  autumn  comes  again, 
Marjorie  Allen  and  her  friends  are  glad  to  have  school 
days  returning,  too ;  for  then  there  are  so  many  inter- 
esting things  to  talk  over,  to  think  about,  and  to  do  with 
the  other  pupils.  There  are  the  teacher  to  be  wel- 
comed and  the  new  schoolbooks  with  their  new  sub- 
jects to  be  studied.  The  girls  in  and  about  Pleasant 
Valley  have  a  club  for  sociability  and  for  work.  This 
is  the  time  of  year  for  them  to  be  making  plans  for  the 
winter.  What  time,  then,  or  what  reason  is  there  for 
studying  such  a  commonplace  matter  as  food  ^ 

''  We  all  know  enough  about  food,"  some  school- 
girl is  saying,  *'  and  mother  does  the  cooking  anyway ; 
so  why  bother  about  it  in  school .?  " 

3 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Marjorie  Allen,  however,  is  a  wide-awake  girl,  who 
has  read  in  the  farm  journal  at  home  some  interesting 
articles  about  food,  and  has  noticed  that  the  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  at  Washington,  D.  C,  and  the 
University  in  her  own  state  have  printed  bulletins  for 

the  farmer's  wife  about 
nutrition,  cookery,  and 
housekeeping.  There 
are  other  pamphlets,  too, 
for  girls,  explaining  can- 
ning clubs,  and  bread  and 
sewing  contests.  These 
pamphlets  and  books, 
also  on  the  same  subjects, 
have  helped  Marjorie  to 
understand  that  there 
must  be  something  to 
study ;  else  why  are  books 
written  and  printed  ? 
Moreover,  Marjorie  is  an 
unselfish  girl,  ready  to 
help  her  Mother  when 
she  can ;  and  so  she  is 
glad  to  find  among  the  new  books  for  the  year's  study 
one  or  two  about  homemaking. 

What  do  we  know  about  food  ?  We  cannot  answer 
the  question  at  the  beginning  of  this  chapter  in  full, 
without  studying  and  thinking  and  working.  Perhaps 
not  until  we  reach  the  end  of  the  last   chapter  can 


Fig.  I.  —  Marjorie  Allen. 


INTRODUCTORY  5 

we  tell  what  are  the  important,  useful  facts  about 
food.  But  it  is  true  that  each  girl  knows  something 
about  food,  at  least  enough  to  be  able  to  decide  upon 
what  she  likes.  Probably  she  has  been  told  that  some 
foods  are  more  wholesome  than  others.  Even  the  living 
creatures  about  us  have  some  instinct  that  guides  them 
to  foods  desirable  for  them.  Have  you  ever  seen  a 
squirrel  eating  a  toadstool  that  you  would  not  dare  to 
taste  .? 

Why  do  we  take  food  ?  It  is  interesting  to  notice 
what  the  lower  animals  are  eating ;  for  some  kinds  of 
food  we  share  with  them,  and  what  food  does  for  them 
it  does  for  us.  There  are  the  calves,  who  live  at  first 
upon  milk,  like  the  baby  at  home.  We  can  see  how 
much  they  have  all  grown  through  the  summer.  The 
awkward,  long-legged  fowl  running  about  with  such 
energy  are  very  different  from  the  balls  of  yellow  down 
that  came  from  the  shell  in  the  spring.  They  have 
lived  upon  grain  chiefly,  but  see  what  they  have  gained 
in  weight !  One  astonishing  thing  about  the  young  wild 
birds  is  their  rapid  growth ;  and,  although  angleworms 
would  seem  a  disagreeable  diet  to  you,  the  young 
robins  like  them  as  much  as  you  do  mutton  chops  or 
roast  beef. 

Food  for  growth.  One  fact,  then,  about  food  is 
this  :  it  gives  us  material  for  our  bodies,  for  making 
bones,  muscle,  fat,  blood,  hair,  and  teeth.  But  more  im- 
portant still  is  the  fact  that  some  foods  build  our  bodies 
better  than  others.     The  picture  (Fig.  2)  shows  that 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


there  is  a  difference  in  the  feeding  of  animals  ;  for  these 
pigs  are  the  same  age,  and  belong  to  one  family,  but 

they  have  eaten  different 
kinds  of  food. 

When  the  Pleasant 
Valley  pupils  looked  at 
this  picture,  John  Stark 
was  eager  to  tell  the  story 
of  a  prize  pig  raised  by 
his  cousin  in  the  next 
town.     This  is  the  story  : 


Courtesy  of  the  United  States  DepartmetU  of 
Agriculture. 

Fig.  2.  —  Litter  mates. 


Frank  Ross,  who  belongs  to 
a  pig  club,  had  a  contest  with 
his  uncle.     From  the  same  litter  they  selected  two  pigs  as  nearly- 
alike  as  possible. 

Frank  followed  the  directions  given  by  the  U.  S.  Department 
of  Agriculture,  and  his  uncle  treated  the  other  pig  as  he  had  always 
done.     This  is  what  happened  : 

Weight         Cost  or  Food     Selling  Price 

Frank's  pig 520  lb.  ^15-54  ^58.cx) 

Uncle's  pig 65  lb.  5.00  8.00 

Think  over  what  we  have  just  said  about  the  calf  and 
the  chicken,  and  you  can  name  two  kinds  of  food  that 
are  good  body  builders.  There  are  no  wild  creatures 
near  Pleasant  Valley  that  live  upon  flesh,  except  the 
hawks  among  the  birds  ;  but  where  foxes  are  still  found 
they  thrive  upon  meat  food,  and,  of  course,  the  young 
lion  of  hot  countries  grows  upon  a  flesh  diet. 

Food  for  life  and  work.  Food  plays  another  part  that  we 


INTRODUCTORY  7 

can  understand  when  we  recall  what  happens  to  people 
who  starve  in  times  of  famine  or  war.  The  body  be- 
comes weak,  unfit  for  work,  and  all  movements  finally 
stop.  Sit  perfectly  still  for  a  moment.  Are  all  parts 
of  your  body  quiet .?  No  !  Your  eyelids  are  winking, 
you  are  breathing,  your  heart  is  beating ;  and  there 
are  other  movements  which  you  cannot  feel,  such  as 
the  constant  flow  of  the  blood.  Touch  your  own  hand, 
—  how  warm  it  is  !  Your  clothing  makes  you  warm 
only  by  keeping  in  the  heat  of  your  body.  What,  then, 
is  the  source  of  this  heat  ^  You  can  give  the  answer 
yourself,  can  you  not .?  It  is  your  food  that  gives 
you  body  warmth  and  power  to  work.  All  the  foods 
already  mentioned  give  this  energy.  What  facts  about 
the  baby  and  calf  and  young  robin  prove  this  ?  The 
sugar  and  the  fat  in  the  milk  are  two  substances  that 
furnish  the  energy,  and  for  this  reason  they  are  called 
fuel  foods.  Another  substance  found  in  milk  and  meat 
is  both  a  body  builder  and  a  fuel  food.  This  sub- 
stance you  will  study  in  Lesson  4. 

Water  and  mineral  matter.  Water  is  another  Im- 
portant part  of  our  food  and  drink.  Still  there  is 
something  else,  that  we  cannot  see,  which  serves  as  food 
for  the  body.  When  wood  is  thoroughly  burned,  you 
know  that  it  leaves  ash.  Food  materials  do  the  same 
thing  when  they  are  burned  as  completely.  This  white 
or  gray  ash  does  not  burn  because  it  is  made  up  of  min- 
eral substances,  lime,  iron,  and  many  others.  These 
are  most  important  for  our  bodies.     Both  water  and 


8  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

the  mineral  substances  help  in  body-building.  We 
shall  learn  more  about  them  later  on. 

Other  interesting  facts  about  food.  You  can  make 
your  own  list ;  for  surely  facts  about  preparing  food  so 
that  it  is  delicious  to  eat,  facts  about  serving  it  daintily, 
and  knowledge  of  how  to  keep  it  clean,  even  of  how  to 
raise  and  sell  it,  and  of  how  to  buy  it,  will  occur  to  you 
as  worth  knowing.  One  small  book  cannot  contain 
all  this  information,  but  at  least  this  book  may  help 
you  to  make  a  beginning. 

The  year's  work.  The  heading  of  this  chapter  states 
our  large  problem  for  study  during  the  year. 

The  projects,  or  pieces  of  practical  work,  for  us  are 
the  school  luncheon,  the  home  supper,  breakfast,  and 
dinner.  As  we  study  each  meal  in  the  different 
chapters,  we  shall  learn  about  the  food  materials  and 
the  dishes  prepared  from  them  suitable  for  each  meal. 
Some  of  these  dishes  can  be  made  at  school,  and  most 
of  them  are  useful  for  the  home  table. 

EXERCISES   AND   PROBLEMS 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  foods  you  know,  under  grain,  vegetables, 
meat  foods,  sugar,  fats. 

2.  Can  you  give  a  fact  that  shows  the  egg  to  be  a  food  that 
builds  the  body  and  gives  energy  ? 

3.  Why  is  the  body  sometimes  likened  to  an  engine  ? 

4.  Can  you  tell  how  it  is  different  from  an  engine  ? 

5.  Explain  why  milk  is  a  food  as  well  as  a  drink. 


CHAPTER   II 
LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 

Lesson  i 


PROPER  FOODS  FOR  THE  SCHOOL  LUNCHEON 

What  are  some  of  the  foods  that  make  a  proper  school  lunch- 
eon ?     Can  we  prepare  any  of  them  at  school  ? 

Luncheon  is  an  interesting  part  of  the  school  program, 
is  it  not  ?  especially  when  it  is  a  good  one.  Marjorie 
Allen  always  takes  something  from  home  in  her  dainty 
luncheon  box,  and  she  is  quite  likely  to  offer  a  taste  to 
some  one  else.  Marjorie  has  sandwiches  made  from 
light,  sweet  bread,  eggs  especially  prepared,  milk,  a  slice 
of  plain  cake  or  a  few  cookies,  and  fruit  or  jelly  in  a 
small  glass  to  be  spread  upon  the  bread.  The  different 
kinds  of  food  are  wrapped  separately  in  paper,  either 
plain  and  perfectly  clean,  or  paraffined.  A  paper 
napkin  is  in  the  box,  too.     Marjorie  uses  a  paper  box, 


lO 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


which  is  burned  afterwards  with  all  the  other  papers 
and  never  thrown  about  to  make  the  school  yard  untidy. 
This  fall,  however,  Marjorie  is  bringing  vegetables  to 
school,  and  is  talking  about  making  cocoa.  She  is 
suggesting  to  the  girls  and  boys  in  the  Pleasant  Valley 
School   that   they  have   a   luncheon   club    and    make 

lunch  a  feature  of  the 
day,  instead  of  eating 
almost  any  thing  as  fast 
as  possible  in  order  to 
begin  play.  And  what  is 
the  plan  .? 

Planning  a  lunch  club. 
There  are  several  ways  in 
which  the  club  can  run  the 
luncheon.  Of  course  the 
members  should  vote  on 
the  matter.  The  teacher 
and  the  mothers  will  be 
consulted  ;  and  they  will 
surely  approve  the  plan,  if  it  is  workable. 

According  to  the  old-fashioned  way,  each  pupil  brings 
a  lunch  in  pail  or  box,  and  each  has  his  own.  The  first 
step  to  make  it  pleasanter  is  the  arrangement  of  some 
kind  of  table,  which  need  be  nothing  more  than  boards 
set  on  boxes,  either  outdoors  or  inside.  Paper  napkins 
may  be  used,  and  a  place  laid  for  each  pupil.  This 
makes  luncheon  a  picnic  every  day. 

There  is  another  method,  already  the  fashion  in  some 


Courtesy  of  Mrs.  Hetty  Browne. 

Fig.  3.  —  The  boys  and  girls  of  Pleasant 
Valley  have  a  luncheon  club  and  make 
lunch  a  feature  of  the  day. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  n 

schools,  which  is  not  difficult.  Each  pupil  supplies 
one  kind  of  food  material,  and  each  takes  his  turn  in 
bringing  a  different  kind.  Two  or  three  furnish  milk ; 
others  bread  or  fruit  or  vegetables  or  whatever  is  con- 
venient, the  whole  scheme  being  planned  ahead.  Of 
course,  the  division  must  be  fair  to  all ;  and  there  is  a 
chance  here  for  some  practical  arithmetic  in  finding  out 
the  cost  of  materials  and  dividing  the  expense  evenly. 

When  Marjorie  proposes  having  vegetables  as  well 
as  fruit,  somebody  says,  "  But  we  can't  eat  them  raw." 
Then  why  should  we  not  cook  them  ? 

Cooking  at  school.  "  What  can  we  have  to  cook  with 
at  school  ?  " 

This  will  depend  upon  the  yard  and  the  size  of  the 
school.  If  there  is  plenty  of  room  around  the  building, 
you  already  know  one  simple  arrangement ;  for  it  is 
hardly  possible  that  you  have  never  roasted  potatoes 
in  the  ashes  of  a  fire  out-of-doors. 

A  fireplace  of  stones  or  brick  may  be  built  and  vege- 
tables roasted  ;  an  old  pail  may  be  hung  on  a  stick  laid 
across  the  stones  or,  better  still,  on  an  iron  bar  or  rod 
which  may  be  found  in  some  old  scrap  heap  or  at  the 
blacksmith's.  Wonders  can  be  accomplished  also  with 
an  old  stove,  which  some  one  would  be  glad  to  give. 
John  Alden  is  an  energetic  boy  at  Pleasant  Valley 
School,  ready  to  do  carpenter  work  or  to  engineer  the 
making  of  a  stone  or  brick  fireplace  for  cooking  food 
at  school. 

If  there  is  a  shed  in  which  it  can  stand,  perhaps  a 


12  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

friend  will  contribute  an  oil  stove.  In  the  picture  (Fig. 
4)  you  will  see  the  equipment  for  cooking  which  may  be 
made  from  packing  boxes  that  the  grocer  gives  away. 


('(luritsy  of  Biiruiu  of  Publications.  7\/ic/ur-^  Colli  i/i ,  Columbia  UniversUy. 

Fig.  4.  —  An  equipment  for  cooking  may  be  made  from  packing  boxes. 

The  boxes  may  be  stained  or  painted  white.  This 
painting  is  pleasant  work  for  a  rainy  day:  If  the 
mothers  are  interested  in  the  club,  they  may  be  willing 
to  give  a  few  utensils  ;  but,  if  the  members  of  the  club 
are  very  independent,  they  can  buy  their  own.  Only 
a  few  are  needed  and  the  expense  will  be  slight. 


Courtesy  of  President  M.  M.  Parks,  Georgia  Normal  and  Industrial  College, 
MUledgeville,  Georgia. 

Fig.  5.  —  A  neatly  arranged  school  cupboard,  i,  wide-mouthed  pitcher; 
2,  covered  saucepans;  3,  double  boiler;  4,  wire  strainer;  5,  Dover 
egg  beaters ;  6,  measuring  cups ;  7,  bowls ;  8,  knives,  forks,  and 
spoons ;  9,  "  utility  "  plate,  for  cooking  work. 

13 


14 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


In  cold  weather  the  luncheon  can  be  prepared  in  the 
schoolroom ;  and,  if  the  heater  has  a  flat  top,  cooking 
can  be  done  on  that.  A  fireless  cooker  to  use  at  school 
is  convenient  and  can  be  inexpensive.  (See  Lesson  26.) 
If  you  have  never  tried  it,  you  will  be  surprised  to  see 
how  many  delicious  luncheon  dishes  can  be  made  in  the 
schoolroom. 

If  your  school  has  a  well-furnished  cooking  room, 
preparing  luncheon  at  school  is  an  easy  matter. 


Courtesy  of  Miss  Jessie  D.  Ebert. 
Fig.  6. — Serving  luncheon  at  the  Big  Tree  School. 


At  the  Pleasant  Valley  School  the  work  began  with 
very  simple  equipments.  Marjorie  Allen  heard  of  the 
school  lunch-  club  from  a  cousin  who  lives  in  New  York 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  15 

State.  Miss  James,  the  teacher  at  the  Pleasant  Valley 
School,  asked  Marjorie  if  she  would  not  write  to  her 
cousin  and  ask  for  a  description  of  her  club.  This  is  the 
answer  to  Marjorie's  letter : 

The  Big  Tree  School,^ 
September  5,  1915. 
Dear  Marjorie : 

Yes,  indeed,  our  hot  lunch  club  is  a  great  success. 
This  is  the  way  we  began  :  There  is  a  farm  bureau  in 
Erie  County,  and  we  celebrate  Corn  Day.  We  children 
at  the  school  had  a  bread  contest  to  which  everybody 
came.  Our  mothers  and  fathers  were  so  pleased  that 
one  of  the  trustees  put  some  cooking  equipment  into 
our  basement,  and  we  use  an  old  bookcase  with  glass 
doors  for  our  cupboard.  There  are  twenty-four  of  us 
in  our  cooking  class,  and  each  family  gave  twenty-five 
cents  for  buying  dishes.  We  brought  our  own  note- 
books, spoons,  cups  and  plates,  aprons,  soap,  and  hand 
towels ;  and  we  met  every  Wednesday  afternoon. 
Then,  as  w€  had  begun  to  have  cooking  lessons,  our 
teacher  thought  we  might  as  well  have  a  hot  lunch ; 
so  we  had  a  warm-food  club.  Most  of  us  come  a  long 
way  and  bring  luncheon,  and  so  we  began  by  making 
only  one  or  two  hot  things  like  cocoa,  soup,  stew,  boiled 
rice  with  raisins. 

This  is  the  way  we  plan  for  the  lunches.     We  have  a 

^  The  information  given  in  this  letter  was  kindly  furnished  by  Miss 
Jessie  D.  Ebert,  District  No.  27,  Hamburg,  Erie  County,  New  York.  Some 
of  these  facts  were  published  in  the  East  Aurora  Advertiser,  May  27,  191 5, 
and  others  were  written  in  a  private  letter. 


i6  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

committee  that  meets  our  teacher  at  twelve  o'clock 
every  Friday,  and  plans  luncheon  for  every  day  for  next 
week.  We  decide  which  of  us  shall  furnish  food  and 
what  food  each  one  of  us  shall  bring.  We  name  the 
helpers  for  preparing  the  food  each  day,  also.  At  one 
o'clock  the  committee  passes  a  slip  to  those  who  are  to 
furnish  food,  telling  what  food  they  are  to  bring  and  on 
what  day.  Sometimes  one  girl  or  boy  changes  with 
another.  We  have  a  book  and  keep  a  list  of  everything, 
so  that  nobody  shall  do  more  than  his  share.  Usually 
each  family  does  not  furnish  food  more  than  once  a 
month.  It  does  not  cost  so  very  much  either,  —  about 
ten  cents  each  time  one  of  us  brings  something.  Here 
are  some  of  the  other  things  that  we  like  :  potato  soup, 
baked  beans,  bean  soup,  tomato  soup.  Sometimes  we 
make  the  things  at  home  when  mother  is  willing,  and 
bring  a  pan  of  beans  or  macaroni,  or  something  else,  to 
be  warmed  up.  Some  of  us  did  not  join  the  club,  but 
any  one  who  is  not  a  member  may  buy  a  cup  of  hot  food 
for  one  cent.  Usually  two  girls  are  appointed  to  do  the 
cooking.  Sometimes  it  is  begun  before  school  or  at 
recess.  At  1 1  :  45  the  girls  finish  the  luncheon  ;  then 
we  wash  our  hands,  and  sit  down  at  our  desks  to  be 
served.  The  girls,  with  one  or  two  others  to  help,  serve 
all  of  us.  We  take  turns  in  washing  the  dishes  ;  and  it 
is  funny  that  we  never  seem  to  mind  it  at  school.  We 
would  not  give  up  our  lunch  club  for  anything. 

Your  affectionate  cousin, 

Polly. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


17 


Packing  the  luncheon.  When  food  is  done  up  in 
packages,  it  should  be  neatly  wrapped  (see  page  301). 

If  called  on  to  act  as  judges  in  a  luncheon-box  con- 
test, we  might  draw  up  for  ourselves  a  score  card  like 
the  following : 


SCORE   CARD 

LUNCHEON-BOX    CONTEST 

Rating 

1.  Neatness  of  box  or  wrapper 5 

2.  Appearance  of  the  inside  of  the  box 25 

Neatness 
Daintiness 

3.  Quality  and  preparation  of  food 35 

Excellence  of  preparation 

4.  Selection  of  food 35 

Fitness  for  purpose 

100 


Courtesy  of  t?ie  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 


EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 


1.  Make  a  list  of  simple  utensils  that  would  help  you  in  pre- 
paring food  at  school.     You  can  recall  those  used  at  home. 

2.  What  plan  can  you  make  for  washing  dishes  ? 

3.  Can  you  think  of  some  way  of  avoiding  dishwashing,  or  of 
having  as  little  as  possible  ? 

4.  Make  a  list  of  luncheon  dishes  that  you  think  you  might 
make  at  school. 


i8  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

Lesson  2 

water  and  fruit  beverage 

What  can  we  prepare  to  drink  at  school  in  addition  to  water, 
on  warm  days  in  fall  and  spring  ? 

Let  US  think  about  some  of  the  ways  of  making 
agreeable  cool  and  hot  beverages. 

Fruit  juices  with  water.  "  What  fruits  may  be  used 
in  place  of  or  with  lemon  juice  ^  " 

The  answer  to  this  is  very  simple  :  any  fruit  that  is 
acid  and  juicy,  and  has  a  decided  flavor,  makes  a  pleas- 
ant drink.  The  beverage  is  wholesome,  if  one  does  not 
take  too  much  and  if  it  is  not  too  sweet.  Perhaps  we 
are  all  more  used  to  making  lemonade  than  any  other 
fruit  drink,  but  the  Pleasant  Valley  Club  is  trying  other 
fruits  on  some  of  the  warm  days  in  September.  Marjorie 
Allen  experiments  at  home  ;  when  she  sees  that  her 
Mother  is  warm  and  tired,  she  surprises  her  with  a  glass 
of  cool  fruit  juice  and  water.  Strawberry,  currant,  and 
raspberry  juices  are  delicious  in  this  way,  and  so  is 
the  juice  from  tart  summer  apples,  slightly  cooked. 
Canned  fruits,  jellies,  or  jam  may  be  used  ;  and,  if  the 
flavor  is  flat,  a  little  lemon  juice  or  cream  of  tartar  may 
be  added. 

"  How  does  Marjorie  make  the  fruit  juice  into  a  re- 
freshing drink .?  " 

Marjorie  sees  first  that  the  water  is  cooling.  She 
allows  one  fourth  to  one  third  cup  of  sugar  to  a  quart 
of  water.     Can  you  explain  why  the  quantity  of  sugar 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  19 

varies  from  time  to  time  ?  If  it  is  convenient,  she  melts 
the  sugar  in  some  hot  water.  Why  ?  Next  she  pre- 
pares the  fruit.  The  lemons  must  be  washed,  cut  in 
two  and  squeezed,  and  have  the  seeds  strained  out.  A 
glass  lemon  squeezer  costs  only  five  cents  and  is  very 
handy.  Two  or  three  lemons  to  a  quart  of  water  will 
be  enough,  depending  on  the  size  of  the  lemons. 

If  Marjorie  is  working  with  another  kind  of  fruit, 
she  must  squeeze  the  juice  out,  sometimes  after  cooking. 
The  amount  used  must  be  "  to  taste  "  ;  or,  if  currant 
jelly  is  at  hand,  two  or  three  teaspoonfuls  to  a  glass 
of  water  are  enough. 

Marjorie  has  a  dainty  way  of  tasting  things  with  two 
spoons,  one  for  dipping  out,  and  the  other  for  the  tast- 
ing. Finally,  the  water,  sugar,  and  juice  are  mixed  in 
a  pitcher  and  cooled  on  the  ice.  When  there  is  not  ice, 
wrap  a  wet  cloth  around  the  pitcher  and  set  it  in  the 
breeze.     Do  you  know  why  this  cools  it  ^ 

These  beverages  may  be  prepared  at  school  as  easily 
as  at  home.  Here  is  a  chance  to  use  your  arithmetic 
in  calculating  the  quantity. 

A  cool  drink.  On  a  hot  day,  the  men  in  the  field  are 
glad  of  some  refreshing  drink.  One  of  the  girls  in  the 
Pleasant  Valley  School  was  taught  by  her  grandmother 
how  to  make  an  old-fashioned  beverage. 

Have  ready  molasses,  cream  of  tartar  or  vinegar, 
ground  ginger,  and  nutmeg.  Use  about  a  quarter  of  a 
cup  of  molasses  to  a  quart  of  water,  and  a  teaspoonful 
of  cream  of  tartar,  which  some  people  think  more  whole- 


20 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


some  than  the  vinegar.  Stir  into  the  molasses  a  tea- 
spoonful  of  ground  ginger  and  a  grating  of  nutmeg, 
and  mix  all  with  the  water.  It  is  better  when  one  is 
heated  to  have  a  cool,  rather  than  an  ice-cold  drink ; 
the  temperature  of  well  water  is  cool  enough. 

Fruit-ade.  A  fruit  drink  is  sometimes  called  fruit- 
ade  ;   and  sometimes,  fruit  punch. 

If  the  girls  become  very  expert,  they  may  be  invited 
to  make  and  serve  a  fruit  beverage  at  a  meeting  of  the 
Woman's  Club  or  at  some  evening  entertainment. 
Do  not  be  afraid  to  try  experiments  with  several  kinds 
of  fruit  at  a  time.  Use  lemon  juice  first ;  add  a  glass 
of  currant  jelly,  and  a  can  of  cherries  or  raspberries. 
Cut  a  banana  in  small  pieces  and  serve  in  the  fruit 

punch.  Does  some  one 
say,  "  How  odd  to  spend 
so  much  time  talking 
about  fruit  juice  and 
drink !  " 

Why  are  fruit  juices 
valuable  }  They  contain 
something  most  valuable 
to  the  body, — the  mineral 
matter  that  you  cannot 
see.  How  much  better 
to  take  iron  in  fruit  juice 
than  in  patent  medicine. 

Courtesy  of  flu   U .  S.  Dt  pari imni  of  Agriculture.       Til 

^  A   ij  r  u   J     n    It  not  only  tastes  better, 

riG.  7.  —  An  oid-rashioned  open  well  is  -^  ' 

subject  to  surface  wash.  but     the     body     CaU     USC 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


21 


the  iron  in  fruit  when  that  in  the  medicine  bottle 
is  useless. 

Why  should  we  be  careful  about  drinking  pure  water 
freely  ?  Water  is  the  important  material  in  all  our 
beverages,  and  we  need  to  remember  to  drink  it  clear 
as  well  as  flavored  with 
other  substances.  It  is 
found,  too,  in  almost  all 
our  foods.  Several  years 
ago,  when  a  number  of 
Zuni  Indians  were  visiting 
the  large  cities  of  the 
eastern  United  States,  some 
one  asked  them  what  was 
the  most  interesting  ob- 
ject they  had  seen.  One 
of  them  replied,  "  Water. 
You   have   all   you  want, 

and    you   can    always   get    it  rear  Book,    nepanmentof  Agriculture.  1914. 

out  of  a  pipe  in  the  wall."  Fig.    8. — We    cannot    be    too    careful 

rj^                  1          T_       T          •       J  about  the  place  from  which  the  water 

To  people  who  live   in   dry  ,^^,3.     ^  cemented  cover  and  care- 

lands,    water   is    a    precious  f^^^y  adjusted  pump  prevent  surface 

thing.     Do  you  know  that 

we  can  live  longer  without  food  than  without  water  ? 
It  helps  to  build  the  body,  it  aids  digestion,  it  carries 
off  waste  matter,  and  it  helps  to  keep  the  body  at 
an  even  heat.  It  is  given  off  from  the  body  all 
the  time,  and  therefore  we  need  to  drink  freely  many 
times  a  day.     Wc  may  take  it  at  meals  ;  if  we  do  not 


22 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


drink  it  to  wash  down  food,  but  between  mouthfuls. 

Be  careful  to  drink  rather  slowly ;  then  you  need  not 

hesitate  to  take  as  much  as  you  want. 

Yet  this  water  may 
bring  us  illness,  —  and  this 
we  must  study  to  prevent. 
Even  though  water  is 
sparkling  and  clean,  it 
may  still  be  impure.  As 
we  cannot  judge  by  its 
appearance,  we  must  find 
out  where  the  water  comes 
from. 

Keeping  water  pure. 
Nature  has  many  ways 
of  making  water  clean. 
Some  of  them  are  :  letting 
it  filter  through  the  soil, 
purifying  it  in  ponds  and 


United  States  Department  of  A griaature.    Year  Boot,       TIVQTS  ',     IH     DOtil     Ol     WhlCh 

P  .  . ,     processes     some     of    the 

riG.  9. — A  cement  or  stone  cover,  with       ^ 

a  trough    beneath    the   spout   of  the      lower  formS  of  life  kuOWU 

aXg well'  """'"^  ''"''''^"  ^°'    as    bacteria,    help.      But 

when  we  allow  large 
quantities  of  filth  to  get  into  the  water,  nature  cannot 
always  work  fast  enough,  harmful  bacteria  grow,  and 
sickness  results  if  people  drink  the  water.  Typhoid 
fever,  malaria,  and  other  diseases  are  often  due  to 
impure  water.     We  cannot  be  too  careful  about  the 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


23 


place  from  which  the  water  comes  ;  for  such  a  disease 
as  typhoid  is  often  carried  to  people  far  away,  and  many 
lives  are  lost  because  some  one  person  or  family  has  been 
careless. 

The   picture  (Fig.   10)  shows  how  unclean  material 
may  seep  into  a  well  from  a  barnyard  or  outhouse. 


Virginia  Health  Bulletin,  June,  1913. 

Fig.   io.  —  Unclean  material  may  seep  into  a  well  from  a  barnyard. 

« 

Let  each  girl  and  boy  study  the  water  supply  at  home. 
If  the  water  comes  from  a  spring,  see  whether  the  spring 
is  cleaned  every  year  and  covered.  Are  farm  animals 
allowed  near  it  ?  Is  the  well  covered  ?  (See  Fig.  9.) 
Is  it  cleaned  every  year  ?  Are  slops  ever  poured  near 
it  ?  It  is  a  good  plan  to  have  cement  around  the  well. 
Remember  that  health  costs  less  than  sickness.     At 


24  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

times,  if  the  doctor  says  that  sickness  has  come  from 
the  water,  it  should  be  boiled  before  drinking. 

Be  watchful,  too,  about  ice,  because  freezing  does  not 
kill  certain  harmful  germs.     If  the  ice  is  dirty  and,      | 
indeed,  unless  you  are  very  sure  that  it  has  come  from      | 


Courtesy  of  MedicaZ  Review  of  Reviews. 
Common  drinking  glass  Recently  washed  glass 

Fig.   II.  —  Do  not  use  public  drinking  cups. 

a  clean  source,  cool  the  water  on  the  ice  and  never  put 
the  ice  into  the  water. 

Be  careful  to  drink  from  a  clean  cup.  Sore  throats 
and  even  consumption  (tuberculosis)  may  result,  if 
more  than  one  person  drink  from  one  cup  or  dipper. 
Each  pupil  should  have  his  own  cup.  Paper  cups  cost 
very  little.     The  luncheon  club  at  the  Pleasant  Valley 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


2S 


School  has  decided  to  use  them.     Do  not  use  pubUc 
drinking  cups.     (Fig.  ii.) 

After  a  sad  time,  when  diphtheria  raged  among  the 
pupils  of  a  school  in  another  section,  the  Woman's  Club 
of  that  town  gave 
to  the  school  a 
pump  like  that  in 
the  picture  (Fig. 
12).  Do  you  see 
that  the  water  is 
bubbling  up  and 
that  the  girl  is 
drinking  without  a 
cup  ^ 

Water  may  con- 
tain lime  and  iron 
that  make  it 
"hard."  If  there 
is  a  large  amount 
of  the  lime,  it  is 
best  to  boil  the 
water  for  drinking. 
If  the  inside  of 
the  teakettle  has  a 
coating  of  lime,  then  you  are  using  the  kind  of  hard 
water  that  is  improved  by  boiling.  Sometimes  to  make 
water  soft  it  is  distilled.  This  is  done  by  catching  and 
cooling  the  steam.  A  distilling  apparatus  is  made  for 
home  use. 


Courtesy  of  the  U.  S.  Bureau  of  Education.    Bulletin  1914,  No.  12. 

Fig.  12.  —  At  the  Pleasant  Valley  School  a  drinking 
fountain  is  attached  to  the  pump.  The  water  is 
bubbling  up  and  the  girl  is  drinking  without  a  cup. 


26  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Make  a  sketch  of  your  water  supply  at  home  with  its  sur- 
roundings. 

2.  Make  some  plan  for  improving  the  water  supply. 

3.  In  what  ways  does  water  become  impure  ? 

4.  Why  is  it  important  to  use  individual  cups  ? 

5.  How  much  lemonade  or  other  beverage  would  you  prepare 
for  fifty  people  ?     Estimate  the  cost. 

6.  What  fruits  growing  in  your  locality,  including  wild  berries, 
can  be  used  for  making  beverages  ? 

7.  Explain  why  fruit  juice  is  wholesome. 

Lesson  3 
cocoa  for  the  school  luncheon 

Cocoa  is  easy  to  prepare  for  the  school  luncheon  on  the  cold 
days  of  winter.  What  is  the  value  of  this  and  of  other  hot  bever- 
ages; and  what  are  some  of  the  important  things  to  think  about 
in  cooking  them  f 

Milk  or  cream,  and  sugar  give  hot  drinks  some  value 
as  food.  Grown  people  use  coffee  and  tea  because  there 
is  a  substance  in  both  of  them,  besides  the  flavor,  that 
they  think  has  a  pleasant  effect  upon  their  nerves, 
although  in  the  end  most  people  would  be  better  without 
either.  Very  agreeable  beverages  are  made  from 
roasted  grain,  and  several  of  these  can  be  bought.  Of 
course,  girls  and  boys  do  not  take  either  tea  or  coffee ; 
but  there  is  no  reason  why  they  should  not  have  a  cup 
of  cocoa  for  breakfast,  and  on  cool  days  make  it  for  the 
school  luncheon. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


27 


What  is  cocoa  ?  Cocoa  and  chocolate  are  manufac- 
tured from  a  seed  somewhat  like  a  bean,  that  grows  in 
hot  countries.  The  bean  is  roasted  and  ground,  and 
from  it  chocolate  is  made.  Cocoa  is  chocolate  with 
the  fat  taken  out.     If  you  have  ever  seen  cocoa  butter, 


Fig. 


Courtesy  0/  Miss  Myra  Hunt. 
A  well-arranged  school  kitchen. 


you  know  how  this  fat  looks.  Which  will  have  the  more 
food  value,  cocoa  or  chocolate  ^ 

How  to  cook.  Let  us  now  plan  to  make  cocoa  at 
school. 

Cooking  should  be  as  dainty  and  pretty  work  as 
painting  or  sewing.  We  can  make  it  so  if  we  arrange 
neatly  on  the  table  everything  to  work  with  and  do  not 
spill  food  materials. 

The  illustration'  (Fig.  15)  shows  some  convenient 
measures.     See  how  the  cups  are  divided.     Of  course, 


28 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


Courtesy  of  the  Forecast  Magazine, 
Fig.   14.  —  A  neat  working  table  and  worker.     Notice  the  fireless  cooker. 


United  States  Department  of  Commerce,  Circular  of  the  Bureau  of  Standards,  No.  66. 

Fig.  15.  —  Cups  and  spoons  like  these  are  convenient  household  measures. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


29 


Fig.   16. — -The  spoonfuls  in  measuring  should  be  level. 


everyday  spoons  will  do.     The  spoonfuls  in  measuring 
should  be  level.     (See  Fig.  16.) 

When  we  cook,  we  should  plan  everything  carefully, 
and  take  out  what  we  need  for  work.  This  saves  time 
and  steps.     We  must  think  beforehand  of: 


What  to  take. 

How  much  of  each  kind. 

What  utensils  to  use. 

How  to  put  the  materials  together. 

How  to  cook  these  materials,  —  apply  heat. 

How  to  serve  the  cooked  food. 


These  are  what  the  cook  books  tell  you  about  in  what 
is  called  a  "  recipe  "  or  "  receipt." 

MoUie  Stark,  another  Pleasant  Valley  schoolgirl, 
is  making  her  own  cook  book.  Suppose  we  all 
begin  to  do  so,  too.  Mollie  is  using  a  notebook 
with  loose  leaves,  such  as  we  have  in  school.  If  the 
cover  of  your  notebook  is  not  a  pretty  color,  you 
can  make  one  of  some  washable  material,  in  the  sewing 


30  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

class,  perhaps,  or  for  home  work.  MolHe  illustrates  her 
book  either  with  drawings  or  with  pictures  pasted  in. 

Making  the  cocoa.  A  quart  of  cocoa  serves  six  people 
very  well,  for  the  cups  we  drink  from  hold  less  than  a 
half  pint.  How  many  quarts  of  cocoa  shall  you  need 
for  them  .? 

Let  us  now,  one  by  one,  think  of  the  points  we  must 
remember. 

Cocoa. 

What  to  use.^     Cocoa,  sugar,  water,  milk. 

How  much  to  take.  Equal  parts  of  water  and  milk.  8  tea- 
spoonfuls  of  powdered  cocoa  to  a  quart  of  liquid.  The  same 
amount  of  sugar  as  of  cocoa. 

Utensils.  This  depends  upon  the  amount  of  cocoa,  does 
it  not  ?  You  can  plan  this  easily  yourself.  Remember 
that  a  large  pail  or  kettle  full  needs  a  long  spoon  for  stirring. 

How  to  make.  This  is  the  one  way  that  saves  dishes  :  Heat 
the  water  and  milk  together.  Mix  together  the  cocoa  and 
sugar,  dry.  When  the  liquid  begins  to  bubble,  throw  in  the 
dry  materials,  and  begin  to  beat  and  stir  as  fast  as  you  can. 
When  the  cocoa  and  sugar  are  all  dissolved,  your  beverage  is 
ready. 

How  to  serve.  Have  a  dipper  and  the  cups  all  ready.  Re- 
member, if  you  do  not  spill,  there  is  nothing  to  clean  up. 

There  are  other  ways  of  making  cocoa.  Try  more 
than  one.  Some  girl  in  the  club  may  know  another 
way,  or  your  teacher  may  have  another  recipe.  How 
shall  you  know  which  is  best  .^     It  is  the  way  that  makes 

^  Hereafter,  for  convenience,  simply  Whaty  How  mucky  Utensils,  How 
to  makey  and  How  to  serve,  will  be  used. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


31 


Fig. 


Courtesy  of  Miss  Jennie  Shields. 
Cocoa  is  easy  to  prepare  for  the  school  luncheon. 


the  smoothest  cocoa,  with  the  fewest  dishes,  and  with 
the  least  work. 

The  Dutch  people,  who  manufacture  cocoa,  also  make 
it  well.  They  always  beat  it  to  make  it  smooth.  If 
you  can  have  a  large  "  Dover "  tgg  beater,  a  few 
minutes'  beating,  while  the  cocoa  is  still  on  the  stove, 
makes  it  free  from  grains  and  lumps. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  How  many  liquid  teaspoonfuls  make  a  tables poonful .? 

2.  How  many  dry  .? 

3.  How  can  you  divide  a  dry  spoonful  in  halves  .? 

4.  How  many  tablespoonfuls  are  there  to  a  quarter  cup  ^  To 
a  whole  cup  .? 

5.  Copy  your  cocoa  recipe  in  your  notebook. 

6.  Begin  a  table  of  measures,  and  leave  space  for  more. 


32 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


Lesson  4 

the  value  of  milk  as  a  food 

How  can  we  use  milk  for  the  school  lunches  ? 

A  glass  of  cool,  clean  milk  is  one  of  the  best  possible 

foods  for  luncheon  at  school.    Sip  milk  very  slowly  ;  for, 

if  you  gulp  it  down,  you  may  have  indigestion.     Carry 


7g,»->77ft//0. 


Virginia  Health  Bulletin,  Jviy,  1912. 
Fig.   i8.  —  Do  not  let  milk  stand  in  this  way. 

it  to  school  in  a  clean  bottle,  and  keep  it  in  a  cool  place. 
Would  you  like  a  little  change  from  plain  milk,  either  at 
school  or  at  home  ? 

Renneted  milk,  or  junket. 

What.     Milk,  sugar,  a  flavoring,  rennet  tablets  (bought  at 
the  grocer's).     The  flavoring  may  be  vanilla,  or  nutmeg,  or 
cocoa  dissolved  in  the  milk. 
Hozv  much,     i  quart  of  milk 
\  cup  of  sugar 
I  teaspoonful  vanilla 
A  few  gratings  nutmeg 
I  tablet,  usually 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  33 

Utensils.  Something  for  warming  the  milk ;  something  to 
hold  the  milk;    measuring  implements. 

How  to  make.  Junket  is  a  dish  that  needs  no  cooking. 
Warm  the  milk  slightly  on  the  stove,  or  set  it  in  the  sun  in  an 
open  dish.  Stir  the  sugar  and  flavoring  into  the  milk.  Dis- 
solve the  tablet  in  a  little  water,  and  stir  it  into  the  milk. 
Let  the  dish  of  milk  stand  in  a  warm  place ;  and  then  cool  it, 
when  the  milk  becomes  firm. 

How  to  serve.  Serve  just  as  it  is,  in  saucers,  or  with  berries 
or  fruit  juices,  or  with  cream  and  a  little  sugar. 

Why  is  junket  digestible  ^.  Do  you  know  what  the 
rennet  is  ^  It  contains  the  same  substance  that  helps 
to  digest  the  milk  in  our  bodies,  as  we  usually  take  it. 
The  junket  is  partly  digested  then,  and  agrees  with  some 
people  who  cannot  take  milk  plain. 

Cheese  from  sour  milk. 

What.  A  pan,  or  dish,  of  soured  milk  that  is  firm.  Salt 
is  enough  to  add,  but  a  little  butter  or  cream  improves  it. 

How  much.  This  cheese  can  be  made  without  measure- 
ments, and  salted  to  taste. 

Utensils.  The  pan  that  holds  the  milk,  a  bowl,  and  a  piece 
of  clean  cheesecloth. 

How  to  make.  Heat  the  milk  until  the  whey  separates, 
but  not  until  the  curd  toughens.  Put  the  cheesecloth  into 
the  bowl.  Pour  in  the  milk.  Lift  the  cloth,  let  the  whey 
run  out,  squeeze  it  a  little ;  and  then,  if  the  curd  in  the  cloth 
is  not  dry  enough,  tie  the  cloth  together  and  hang  by  the 
string  where  the  rest  of  the  whey  will  drip.  Later  salt  the 
curd,  and  add  a  little  soft  butter  or  cream. 

How  to  serve.  Serve  the  whey  to  the  chickens.  They  will 
appreciate  it.  Make  the  curd  into  balls  and  cool.  It  is  deli- 
cious with  gingerbread  for  supper.     You  can  take  it  to  school 


34  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

in  a  cup  cr  jar.  Try  putting  it  into  a  sandwich  with  a  little 
currant  jelly  spread  on,  too.  That  does  sound  odd,  but  see 
if  you  do  not  like  it. 

Why  is  good  milk,  and  clean  milk  so  important .? 
We  are  quite  right  in  Europe  and  in  America  in  think- 
ing that  milk  is  a  useful  part  of  our  diet ;  and  even  in 
Japan  and  China,  where  milk  has  not  been  used  in  the 
past,  the  people  are  beginning  to  take  it  as  food.    . 

What  is  the  value  of  milk  ?  In  the  first  chapter  we 
have  seen  how  the  growth;  strength,  and  warmth  of 
young  animals  show  milk  to  contain  substances  that 
build  the  body  and  give  energy.  Indeed,  it  is  a  perfect 
food  for  the  young  and  an  excellent  food  for  grown 
people.  The  grown-ups  and  you  must  remember  that 
milk  is  true  food  to  be  taken  instead  of  some  other  food, 
and  not  in  place  of  water  plus  the  other  food.  This  is 
a  very  important  fact,  for  some  people  add  milk  to  a 
meal  when  they  have  eaten  enough  of  other  things ; 
and  then  they  say  that  milk  does  not  agree  with  them. 
It  should  always  be  partaken  of  slowly. 

Hot  milk  is  a  good  thing  sometimes,  especially  when 
one  feels  a  little  "  faint  "  for  food.  Some  forenoon 
when  Mother  looks  tired,  give  her  a  cup  of  milk  heated 
almost  to  the  boiling  point ;  add  a  tiny  pinch  of  salt ; 
and,  if  she  does  not  like  the  taste,  stir  in  a  teaspoonful 
of  fruit  juice.  It  will  make  her  feel  rested,  and  will 
give  her  nourishment. 

What  does  milk  contain .?  This  picture  (Fig.  19) 
shows  what  is  found  in  milk,  when  the  chemist  separates 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


35 


the  parts.  You  have  seen  the  dairy  separator  remove 
the  cream.  The  curd  and  the  whey  separate  when  milk 
sours  or  when  rennet  is  used.  The  chemist  can  do  more. 
He  can  take  out  the  sugar,  which  gives  the  sweet  taste, 


Courtesy  of  President  Guttiver,  Rockford  College. 

Fig.  19. — Composition  of  milk,      i,  whole  milk;  2,  water;  3,  fat;  4,  protein; 
5,  carbohydrate;  6,  mineral  matter  or  ash. 

and  the  mineral  matter,  which  gives  iron,  lime,  and  other 
things  needed  for  body  building  and  health. 

The  word  "  Protein."  The  curd  of  the  milk  has  some- 
thing in  it  that  is  found  in  somewhat  the  same  form  in 
meat,  fish,  and  eggs ;  and  also  in  nuts,  old  beans,  and 
peas ;  and  in  grain  seeds.  It  is  a  substance  without 
which  we  starve,  and  which  you  might  be  satisfied  to 
call  "  meat  food."  But  why  not  learn  its  name,  pro- 
tein? You  cannot  understand  just  what  protein  is 
until  you  study  chemistry ;  and  then  you  will  learn 
among  other  things  that  it  contains  nitrogen,  a  gas 
that  is  all  around  us  in  the  air.  We  breathe  it  in  with 
every  breath,  and  out  again.     Nitrogen  stays  in  our 


36  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

bodies  only  when  we  take  it  in  our  food  in  this  substance 
called  protein.  Marjorie  Allen  found  the  word  in 
one  of  the  Farmers'  Bulletins  about  feeding  animals. 
Ask  you  father  about  it,  too.  If  you  are  studying  a 
little  agriculture  in  school,  you  are  learning  something 
about  nitrogen  in  fertilizers  ;  for  plants  must  have 
it,  as  well  as  animals.  Neither  can  live  without  it. 
The  protein  is  both  a  body  builder  and  a  fuel  food. 

Why  is  milk  a  substitute  for  more  costly  food  ?  When 
milk  is  compared  with  the  other  animal  foods  that  con- 
tain protein,  we  begin  to  realize  how  very  valuable  it 
is.  Does  it  astonish  you  to  be  told  that  a  quart  of  milk 
equals  in  food  value  a  pound  of  steak  or  eight  eggs  ^ 

Why  must  we  have  clean  milk .?  Milk  must  be  very 
clean,  for  in  any  dirt  there  may  be  the  germs  of  sickness. 
Even  clean  milk  will  sour  in  time.  Souring  means  the 
presence  of  one  kind  of  "  germ  "  or  bacteria,  —  invisible 
tiny  living  things  that  form  the  acid.  These  do 
not  injure  us,  but  other  bacteria  may  be  harmful.  Ty- 
phoid fever,  tuberculosis,  and  other  serious  illnesses  are 
carried  in  milk,  cream,  and  butter.  "  Clean  milk  " 
is  the  best  advertisement  for  those  who  produce  it  to 
sell.  Also,  when  one  has  milk  for  home  use  one  must 
be  careful  for  the  health  of  the  family. 

Begin  with  the  cow.  The  cow  must  be  in  good  health, 
well  fed,  kept  in  a  clean  barn  or  stable ;  the  milker 
must  have  clean  hands  and  clean  clothes  ;  and  the 
pails,  cans,  and  bottles  should  be  as  clean  as  boiling 
water,  soapsuds,  and  sunshine  can  make  them.     The 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


37 


milk  must  be  cooled  as  quickly  as  possible.  In  the  most 
up-to-date  dairy  farms,  the  cow  is  washed  and  curried ! 
This  means  much  trouble  and  labor.  People  who  buy 
milk  must  learn  to  pay  enough  for  it,  so  that  the  farmer 
can  keep  the  milk  clean.     '*  Since  a  quart  of  milk  equals 


Courtesy  of  Walker-Gordon  Laboratory  Co. 
Fig.  20.  — Notice  how  clean  everything  looks  in  this  picture  of  milking  time. 

a  pound  of  steak  or  eight  eggs  in  food  value,  milk  even 
at  15  to  20  cents  a  quart  is  more  economical  than  meat 
and  eggs  at  ordinary  prices.     At  the  usual  price  (city) 
of  8  to  10  cents  a  quart,  milk  is  very  economical."  ^ 
Some  day  we  may  all  learn  the  lesson  of  cleanliness. 


^  See  Foods  and  Household  Management. 
Co.,  page  150. 


Kinne-Cooley,  Macmillan 


38 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


Then  we  shall  not  have  the  tragedy  of  many  deaths  in 
some  city,  even  of  little  children,  because  of  an  impure 
milk  supply. 

Milk  in  the  home.  Milk  must  be  kept  cool  and  very 
clean  in  the  house.  This  is  where  ice  is  a  comfort  and 
saves  milk  and  work.  You  cannot  have  the  pans  for 
milk  too  clean.  The  vessel  for  holding  milk,  whatever 
it  is,  —  pan,  pail,  pitcher,  or  bottle,  — 
should  be  rinsed  in  cold  water,  washed 
in  strong,  clean  soapsuds,  rinsed  in  clean 
boiling  water,  and  dried  in  a  sunny 
place  ;  or,  in  rainy  weather,  near  the 
stove.  The  place  where  the  milk  stands 
must  be  clean  and  washed  off  daily. 

If  you  have  no  ice  on  hot,  muggy 
summer  days,  scald  the  milk  when  it  is 
fresh,  to  keep  it  from  souring.  It  is 
better  to  let  the  pans  or  other  containers 
thrmiiL*  °"^  °  drain  dry  from  the  boiling  water  than 
to  wipe  them,  even  with  the  cleanest 
towel.  Cool  the  milk  as  quickly  as  you  can,  and 
keep  it  as  cool  as  possible.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen 
believe  milk  to  be  so  necessary  to  the  health  of  the 
family  that  they  have  one  cow  whose  milk  is  for  family 
use.  Every  one  in  the  country  who  can  have  even  a 
small  barn  and  pasture,  should  try  to  have  a  cow. 

What  is  the  value  of  skimmed  milk  ?  As  only  the 
fat  has  been  removed,  skimmed  milk  is  useful  for  many 
purposes.     We  know  that  it  is  fed  to  farm  animals. 


United  ;^iates  Department 
of  Agriculture^  Farmers' 
Bulletin,  No.  61 . 

Fig.  21. — -A  covered 
milk  pail  helps  to 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  39 

Although  we  may  not  care  to  drink  it,  skim  milk  can, 
be  used  in  cooking,  when  some  cheaper  fat,  like  suet  or 
"  butterine,"  takes  the  place  of  the  fat  taken  off  in  the 
cream. 

Is  there  any  use  for  sour  milk  ?  Clean  milk,  soured, 
forms  a  smooth  curd,  which  some  people  like  with  sugar, 
for  a  dessert.  It  is  very  delicious  in  this  way  on  a  hot 
day,  especially  if  a  little  fruit  juice  is  taken  with  it. 
And  what  an  easy  dessert  to  prepare  for  dinner  or 
supper  !  Another  way  to  use  sour  milk,  is  to  beat 
it  thoroughly  and  drink  it.  Cheese  is  made  from 
the  sour  milk.  We  shall  learn  later  about  using  sour 
milk  in  cooking. 

Why,  then,  is  it  important  to  use  clean  milk  freely  in 
our  diet  ?  Suppose  you  write  down  the  answer,  that 
you  may  be  sure  to  have  all  the  points. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Why  does  milk  take  the  place  of  meat  or  eggs  at  a  meal, 
rather  than  of  potatoes  ?    What  are  the  three  fuel  foods  in  milk  ? 

2.  Since  i  quart  of  milk  equals  eight  eggs  in  food  value,  is  milk 
or  eggs  the  more  economical  food  at  the  time  you  are  studying  this  ? 
How  can  you  find  out  ? 

3.  Why  does  cream  cost  more  than  milk  ? 

4.  If  there  is  a  dairy  on  your  farm,  find  out  how  many  quarts 
of  milk  make  a  pound  of  butter. 

5.  What  are  the  substances  left  in  the  skimmed  milk  ? 

6.  See  if  you  can  decide  what  is  left  in  buttermilk.  Has  it  any 
food  value .? 

7.  In  what  ways  can  we  be  sure  that  milk  is  kept  clean  ? 


40  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Lesson  5 
bread  a  staple  food 

Bread  is  a  staple  food  for  the  school  luncheon  and  for  all  meals. 
If  you  cannot  make  it  at  school,  make  it  at  home  and  have  a  bread 
contest  at  school.     How  can  we  plan  for  this  bread  contest  ? 

One  day  in  fall,  when  the  Pleasant  Valley  Luncheon 
Club  was  eating  sandwiches  under  the  trees,  one  of  the 
girls  remarked  :  ''  Isn't  it  funny  that  our  sandwiches 
look  so  different  !  I  don't  mean  what  is  inside,  but  the 
bread  itself.  It  is  different  colors,  and  the  holes  are 
different  sizes,  and  some  of  the  bread  is  crumbly  and 
some  is  moist.  Isn't  it  queer  that  bread  isn't  just  the 
same  always  !  " 

''  My  mother  didn't  have  luck  with  her  bread  this 
week,"  Marjorie  Allen  said.  John  Alden  replied,"  My 
father  says,  '  Don't  talk  about  luck :  that's  a  lazy 
man's  excuse  ! '  " 

**  Well,"  Marjorie  began,  her  face  flushing,  —  but 
Barbara  Frietchie  said  quickly :  "  It's  late  for  our 
county  fair,  but  why  can't  we  have  a  bread  contest 
here  ?  Everybody  says  it's  an  accomplishment  to  make 
good  bread.  Didn't  you  read  about  a  contest  last  week 
in  the  *  Pleasant  Valley  News  ' .?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed,"  they  all  said, "  we'll  ask  Miss  James  !" 

"  A  good  idea,"  said  the  teacher,  "  and  just  the  time, 
for  we  are  beginning  percentage,  and  this  is  where  the 
boys  can  help." 

But  John  Stark  looked  very  determined.     "  If  there 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


41 


is  going  to  be  a  bread  contest,  I  am  in  it.  My  brother 
is  a  mining  engineer,  and  last  time  he  was  at  home,  he 
learned  how  to  make  yeast  bread.  Mother's  way.  He 
said  bread  often  is  pretty  poor,  where  he  stays." 


Courtesy  of  Mrs.  Hetty  S.  Browne. 
Fig.  22.  —  "Who  says  boys  can't  cook?" 


This  is  the  way  the  club  planned  their  contests. 
Miss  James  thought  it  better  to  wait  until  the  in- 
structor in  household  economics  came  from  the  State 
College  to  talk  to  the  Woman's  Club  and  to  visit  the 
school. 

When  Miss  James  received  a  letter  saying  that  Miss 


42  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

Travers  would  be  there  on  a  certain  date,  each  pupil 
who  wished  to  engage  in  the  contest  made  a  loaf  by  the 
rule  used  at  home,  and  brought  it  to  school  to  be  judged 
on  the  day  of  the  visit.  Miss  Travers  used  a  score 
put  on  the  blackboard,  and  explained  that,  for  an  accu- 
rate contest,  all  the  loaves  should  be  made  by  one 
recipe.     She  gave  a  demonstration  of  her  own  rule, 


Courtesy  of  the  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 

Fig.  23. — A  loaf  of  this  shape  and  size  bakes  evenly. 

making  the  bread  from  the  materials  that  the  club 
had  supplied.  She  explained  that  hers  was  a  good 
and  exact  recipe,  though  probably  no  better  than  many 
of  those  familiar  to  the  mothers  of  Pleasant  Valley. 
The  mothers  had  been  invited  to  the  school ;  and 
many  of  them  were  present  and  enjoyed  the  demon- 
stration and  the  lecture.  They  helped  by  asking 
practical  questions. 

A  bread  score.     This  is  the  Bread   Score  as  Miss 
Travers  explained  it.     Do  you  understand  it  ? 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  43 


BREAD  SCORE   CARD^ 

L    General  Appearance 15% 

1.  Shape 2.5  % 

2.  Size 2.5  % 

3.  Crust 10.0% 

(a)  Color 

(b)  Smoothness 

IL    Internal  Appearance 55  % 

1.  Depth  of  crust 10% 

2.  Texture  (lightness) 15  % 

3.  Crumb 30% 

.  .  [Moisture  1  .      ^. 

W        171  •     •  \  (25   %) 

^      [  Elasticity  J  ^  ^  /^^ 
(b)   Color     .     .  (  5  %) 

in.    Flavor 30% 

100% 


If  you  read  it  carefully  you  can  see  that  all  the  points 
mentioned  are  important,  and  that  the  different  per 
cents  show  the  importance  of  the  points  when  compared 
with  each  other. 

What  are  the  points  in  good  bread  ?  Notice  the  shape 
of  the  loaves  in  the  picture  (Fig.  23).  A  loaf  of  this 
shape  and  size  bakes  evenly.  The  crust  should  be  a 
golden  brown  and  tender  rather  than  hard  and  tough. 
The  color  of  the  crumb  —  the  inside  of  the  loaf  — 
should  be  creamy  rather  than  snow  white  ;    the  holes, 

^  Courtesy  of  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College, 
Columbia  University.     See,  also,  Bulletin  25,  University  of  Illinois. 


44 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


small  and  evenly  distributed ;  and  when  the  crumb  is 
pressed  between  the  thumb  and  finger,  it  should  be  soft 
and  springy,  but  not  doughy.  Some  people  like  a 
rather  open,  dry  bread,  and  others  a  closer  and  moister 
grain  ;  but  it  must  be  baked  through  to  the  very  center, 
in  any  case.  And  the  flavor  —  who  can  describe  ex- 
actly the  sweet,  almost  nutty  taste  of  good  bread,  free 


Courtesy  of  the  Extension  Department,  Ohio  State  University. 

Fig.  24.  —  I  has  a  poor  shape  and  texture;  2,  good  shape  and  texture; 
3  has  a  poor  shape. 

from  a  taint  of  yeast  or  sourness  !  We  all  enjoy  it 
when  it  is  perfect.  It  is  indeed  a  science  and  an  art  to 
make  it  so. 

What  is  the  value  of  white  bread  as  food  ?  Even 
before  scientists  explained  to  us  the  true  value  of 
bread,  the  human  race  had  learned  to  prize  bread  made 
from  ground  wheat.  Bread  is  called  the  "  staff  of 
life,''  as  you  know.  Bread  made  from  other  grains  is 
useful  and  palatable.  In  the  pioneer  days  of  America, 
'*  brown  "  bread  was  made  largely  from  corn  and  rye 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


45 


meal ;  and  we  enjoy  this  kind  of  bread  even  now.  We 
may  have  whole  wheat,  or  graham,  or  rye  alone ;  but 
white  flour  bread  is  our  main  dependence.^ 

Hear  what  the  scientists  say. 

What  does  bread  contain  ?     Bread  made  from  white 
flour  contains  all  the  stuffs  necessary  in  food. 

If  you  should  make  a  list  of 
what  the  bread  contains  and  com- 
pare this  with  a  list  that  shows 
the  different  foodstuffs  ^  found  in 
milk,  you  would  find  them  to  be 
almost  the  same,  but  not  occurring 
in  the  same  amounts.  The  bread 
contains  less  mineral  matter  than 
milk,  and  therefore  is  not  quite 
a  perfect  food.  It  has  but  little 
water,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
something  that  is  not  found  in  the 
milk  ;  that  is,  starch.  Curiously 
enough  starch  and  sugar  are  very 
much  alike  ;  and  Mother  Nature, 
who  is  a  wonderful  chemist,  can 
change  one  into  the  other.  Indeed,  you  may  have 
learned  from  lessons  in  physiology  or  hygiene  that  when 
we  eat  starch  it  is  changed  to  sugar  by  the  digestive 
juices  before  it  is  absorbed  and  carried  about  by  the 
blood.     The  protein  is  found  in  the  gluten,  which  you 

^  See  Foods  and  Household  Management.     Kinne-Cooley,  Chap.  XII. 
2  See  page  294. 


Courtesy  of  Washburn  Crosbj/  Co. 

Fig.  25. — A  dissected  grain 
of  wheat. 


46  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

can  easily  obtain  by  tying  some  flour  in  a  cloth,  and 
washing  out  the  starch. 

Why  are  so  many  foodstuffs  found  in  wheat  ?  Is  it 
not  interesting  that  in  the  grain  of  wheat  the  same 
kinds  of  materials  are  stored  to  feed  the  baby  plant 
that  nature  supplies  in  milk  for  the  young  animal,  the 
little  plant  drinking  water  from  the  soil  ?  There  is 
so  much  of  this  food  in  the  grain,  that  it  is  worth  while 
for  man  to  use  it  himself  as  food. 

Why  is  bread  a  cheap  food  ?  The  scientists  tell  us, 
too,  that  for  ten  cents'  worth  of  bread  we  can  have  more 
body-building  material  and  energy  than  from  ten  cents' 
worth  of  any  other  kind  of  food,  even  of  cheese,  beef,  eggs, 
milk,  potatoes.^  When  Miss  Travers  asked  the  ques- 
tion at  the  beginning  of  this  paragraph.  Pleasant  Valley 
pupils  answered  it,  after  a  few  minutes'  discussion. 
See  if  you  can  answer  at  least  in  part.  You  can  buy  a 
heavier  weight  either  of  milk  at  9  cents  per  quart  or  of 
potatoes  at  60  cents  a  bushel ;  but  the  milk  gives  less 
energy,  and  the  potatoes  less  building  material,  than  the 
bread. 

Should  we  ever  buy  baker's  bread  ^  One  of  the 
mothers  present  asked  Miss  Travers  if  it  is  economical 
to  buy  bread.  Her  answer  was :  "  It  depends  upon 
what  you  are  trying  to  save.  In  the  summer  it  saves 
heat  in  the  kitchen,  and  your  time  and  strength.  The 
bread  costs  a  little  more  per  loaf  than  when  it  is  made 
at  home." 

1  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture.     Farmers'  Bulletin  487. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


47 


Some  one  also  asked  if  it  were  "just  as  good''  as 
homemade,  and  Miss  Travers  replied  :  **  That  depends 
upon  the  baker,  and  the  bakery  laws  of  the  state. 
It  should  be  good,  because  the  baker  has  an  oven  that 
is  better  than  that  in  the  home  stove,  but  he  does  not 


'^PJV 


W 


Courtesy  of  the  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 
Fig.  26.  —  Pans  for  baking  bread,  cake,  and  pastry,  of  tin,  iron,  and  enameled 


always  use  good  material,  and  work  in  a  clean  place. 
We  must  all  work  together  to  see  that  bakery  laws  are 
made  and  enforced,  for  it  is  said  that  about  fifty  per  cent 
of  the  bread  used  in  this  country  comes  from  the  bakery. 
But  there  is  nothing  in  the  world  better  than  the  best 
home  bread.  And  do  you  not  think  every  girl  should 
learn  to  make  it  ?  "  Everybody  said,  "  Yes,"  to  this 
question  ;  and  the  pupils  went  home,  anxious  to  have  a 
proper  bread  contest  as  soon  as  possible.  One  pleasant 
fact  about  such  a  contest  is  that  it  is  possible  for  all  to 


48  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

win,  since  you  compete  with  a  standard  for  bread,  and 
not  with  each  other. 


EXERCISES   AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  foodstuffs  contained  in  bread;  that  is, 
starch,  sugar,  etc. 

2.  Explain  why  bread  costs  less  than  milk. 

3.  Separate  the  gluten  from  the  rest  of  the  flour,  as  explained 
in  the  text,  knead  and  stretch  it. 

4.  Can  you  tell  what  winter  wheat  is  I  spring  wheat  ?  the  dif- 
ference between  them .? 

Lesson  6 
making  bread 
How  shall  we  make  bread  for  the  contest  ? 

What  kind  of  flour  shall  we  buy  ?  In  order  to  make 
the  bread  contest  exact  and  fair  to  all,  the  loaves  should 
be  made  from  the  same  kind  of  flour.  Different  brands 
of  flour  make  different  kinds  of  bread,  the  quality  of 
the  flour  depending  upon  the  variety  of  wheat  and  upon 
the  method  of  manufacture.  Modern  flour  mills  pro- 
duce an  excellent  flour.^ 

A  good  bread  flour  is  creamy  in  color,  feels  grainy 
to  the  touch,  and  contains  a  large  amount  of  gluten. 
Spring  wheat  grown  in  the  northwestern  part  of  United 
States  has  more  gluten  and  less  starch  than  winter  wheat 
living  in  the  ground  through  the  winter  farther  south, 
and  makes  a  good  flour  for  yeast  bread.     Some  people 

^  Foods  and  Household  Management.     Kinne-Cooley,  Chapter  XIL 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  49 

who  are  judges  of  flour,  like  a  mixture  of  spring  and  win- 
ter wheat  flour  for  bread. 

Why  is  yeast  put  into  bread  ?  Something  is  needed  to 
make  the  bread  hght  and  porous  ;  yeast  is  used  for  this 
purpose.  This  is  a  fact  already  known  to  you.  People 
have  used  yeast  for  many  years  in  making  bread,  but 
it  was  not  until  the  microscope  gave  us  eyes  to  see  small 


Buchanan's  Household  Bacteriology. 
Fig.  27. — One  form  of  yeast  seen  through  a  powerful  microscope. 

things,  that  we  could  learn  what  yeast  really  is  and  how 
it  works.  If  you  should  look  at  yeast  through  a  power- 
ful microscope,  you  would  see  something  like  this  pic- 
ture (Fig.  27).  Even  then  you  would  need  to  be  told 
that  this  tiny  object  has  life,  and  that  it  is  a  tiny  one- 
celled  plant.  As  new  cells  develop  in  the  bread,  one 
budding  out  from  another,  a  gas  is  formed.  This  gas, 
as  it  expands,  makes  the  bread  "  rise,"  as  we  say. 
The  gas  is  of  the  same  kind  that  we  breathe  out  from 
our  lungs  ;  its  name  is  carbon  dioxide.  Alcohol  is  also 
formed.  Both  the  gas  and  the  alcohol  pass  off  in  the 
baking. 


so  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

What  does  the  yeast  need  to  form  new  cells  ?  If 
you  stop  a  moment  to  recall  what  all  plant  life  needs 
for  growth,  you  can  decide  what  these  tiny  cells  want, 
too,  —  food,  warmth,  moisture.  The  yeast  cells  find 
food  in  the  flour  and  moisture  in  the  liquid  mixed  with 
the  flour.     We  must  give  them  warmth. 

Now  you  understand  why,  in  winter  time,  the  bread 
dough  is  put  in  a  warm  place.  The  yeast  cell  is  not 
killed  by  moderate  cold,  but,  like  the  trees,  it  does  not 
bud  when  it  is  cold.  And  the  reason  why  soft,  or  com- 
pressed, yeast  cake,  and  liquid  yeast  are  kept  cool,  is 
that  the  yeast  cells  may  not  bud  and  increase,  until 
we  want  them  to  do  so.  The  tiny  yeast  is  like  what  we 
usually  call  a  plant  in  another  way.  During  a  drought 
when  everything  has  turned  brown  and  looks  dead, 
you  have  seen  grass  grow  green  in  a  few  hours  after 
the  welcome  rain  falls  again.  Thus,  will  the  yeast 
cell  remain  dry  for  a  length  of  time,  to  bud  and 
increase  when  moisture  is  supplied.  Does  not  this 
explain  the  dry  yeast  cake,  in  which  thousands  of  the 
tiny  cells  are  mixed  with  meal,  dried  and  kept  ready 
for  use  i 

Where  does  yeast  come  from  ?  The  story  of  the 
yeast  is  a  very  pretty  one,  and  might  be  used  as  the 
subject  of  a  composition  in  school.  If  all  the  liquid 
yeast  and  beer,  which  always  contains  yeast,  should  be 
thrown  away,  and  all  the  compressed  and  dried  yeast 
cakes  burned,  would  the  yeast  cells  be  lost  to  us,  and 
could  we  have  no  more  yeast  bread  ^    No,  indeed  !     We 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  51 

could  begin  all  over  again,  and  set  a  trap  to  catch  the 
"  wild  ''  yeast  cells  that  are  present  in  the  air,  clinging 
to  fruit  and  other  things,  and  growing  wherever  they 
have  a  chance.  What  would  the  trap  be  like  ?  Your 
mother  may  have  caught  the  cells  already ;  for  when 
canned  fruit  or  preserves  "work,"  the  busy  little  yeast 
cell  is  there,  finding  just  what  it  needs  to  make  it  com- 
fortable,—  and  it  thrives  on  sugar  in  small  quantities. 
Have  you  ever  heard  of  *'  salt  rising  "  bread,  made  with- 
out adding  yeast  ?  Here  again  the  wild  yeast  was  in 
the  flour  probably,  ready  to  develop  in  the  dough. 
It  is  more  convenient,  though,  to  cultivate  the  cells  and 
to  keep  them  ready  to  use  whenever  we  wish. 

Perhaps  your  mother  keeps  liquid  yeast  on  hand. 
Dry  yeast  cakes  and  compressed  yeast  are  useful  and 
convenient,  however,  and  save  the  trouble  of  making 
the  liquid  yeast. 

What  else  do  we  put  in  bread  ?  We  use  a  liquid,  — 
either  water  or  milk,  or  some  of  both,  —  and  salt.  We 
sometimes  add  a  little  sugar,  and  some  form  of  fat,  — 
butter  or  "  butterine  '*  or  lard,  —  which  makes  the 
bread  and  crust  less  tough.  Some  people  dislike  the 
taste  of  lard  in  bread.  Those  who  like  a  moist  bread, 
add  a  mealy  mashed  potato. 

Dried  currants,  or  raisins,  and  nut  meats  make  a 
pleasant  variety  in  bread,  especially  when  it  is  made  of 
graham  flour.  Part  of  the  bread  dough  can  have  extra 
fat  and  sugar  put  into  it,  with  a  little  spice  and  dried 
fruit,  to  be  baked  in  biscuit  or  rolls. 


52  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

A  simple  rule  for  white  bread. 

What.     The  materials  have  already  been  given. 

How  much.  I  part  of  liquid  to  3  of  flour,  or  i  cup  of  liquid 
to  3  of  flour,  for  a  loaf.  The  quantity  of  liquid  varies  because 
flour  diff^ers.  You  have  to  learn  by  practice.  Make  the 
liquid  half  water  and  half  milk.  The  milk  should  be  scalded. 
Why  ?     I  teaspoonful  of  salt  to  a  loaf. 

The  quantity  of  yeast  varies.  The  more  yeast,  the  shorter 
time  for  rising.  |  yeast  cake  is  enough  to  a  loaf,  if  the  bread 
is  mixed  overnight ;  \  cake,  if  mixed  in  the  morning,  i  or  2 
teaspoonfuls  of  sugar  to  a  loaf,  —  if  sugar  is  used,  i  or  2 
teaspoonfuls  of  shortening,  or  fat,  to  a  loaf. 

Utensils.     Make  your  own  list  of  utensils. 

How  to  make.  The  thing  to  be  most  careful  about  in  mixing 
the  bread,  is  the  warmth  of  all  the  materials.  The  yeast  does 
its  best  work  for  us  at  about  70°-8o°  F.  (Can  you  read  a 
thermometer  ?)  This  is  the  temperature  of  a  warm  summer 
day.  In  cold  weather,  all  the  materials,  even  the  flour,  should 
stand  in  a  warm  place  before  the  mixing. 

a.  Stir  together  the  yeast,  liquid,  and  sugar  when  used. 
Dissolve  the  yeast  in  a  little  water,  first. 

b.  Add  J  the  flour,  and  beat  very  hard.  Cover  and  set 
in  a  warm  place. 

c.  When  the  soft  dough  is  full  of  holes,  like  a  sponge,  add 
the  salt,  shortening,  and  the  rest  of  the  flour. 

d.  Then  turn  the  dough  upon  a  floured  board,  and  knead 
until  it  is  smooth  and  springy;  or  mix  it  in  a  bread  machine 
(Fig.  28).  Kneading  means  folding  over,  pressing  down,  and 
turning  the  dough  with  a  rocking  motion.  Somebody  should 
show  you  how. 

e.  There  is  a  choice  of  what  to  do  next,  (i)  If  you  wish 
a  very  fine-grained  bread,  put  the  dough  into  a  greased  bo.wl, 
wet  the  top  with  milk,  cover,  set  away  until  it  rises  to  twice 
its  first  size,  knead  again,  and  put  into  pans  to  rise  again ;   or 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  53 

(2)  This  is  quite  fine  enough  for  everyday  eating,  and  saves 
strength  and  time.  After  one  kneading  only,  shape  the  bread 
into  loaves,  just  large  enough  to  half  fill  each  pan,  brush 
over  with  milk,  and  then  go  on  as  with  (i) ;  only  when  light, 
the  loaves  are  in  the  pans  ready  for  baking.  If  the  bubbles 
in  the  loaves  are  large,  prick  them  gently.     Why  ? 

Baking.   The  baking  of  bread  is  an  art. 

It  needs  a  steady  oven,  not  too  hot.  Test  it  by  a  piece  of 
paper  that  should  turn  a  golden  brown  in  15  minutes.  Some 
day,  when  we  all  have  oven  thermometers,  we  shall  be  baking 
our  bread  at  380°  F. 

A  loaf  made  of  3  cups  of  flour,  the  shape  of  those  in  the 
picture,  should  bake  about  three  quarters  of  an  hour.  It  is 
better  to  overbake  than  to  underbake. 

The  story  of  bread  is  not  finished  yet.  Take  the  loaves  from 
the  pan  to  cool  them.  When  cool  all  the  way  through,  put 
the  bread  into  a  clean  stone  jar  or  tin  box.  Cover  with  clean 
paper.     Some  people  use  cloth,  but  paper  is  nicer. 

More  about  serving  bread.  Do  not  cut  the  loaf  for 
twelve  hours.  Bread  has  a  better  texture  and  is  more 
digestible  then.  Can  you  cut  even  slices  .?  It  takes 
practice.  Sometimes,  w^hen  dainty  sandwiches  are 
wanted,  cut  the  slices  very  thin. 

What  are  some  of  the  ways  to  use  bread }  Mollie 
Stark  has  a  section  of  her  cook  book  for  bread  re- 
cipes, with  pictures  of  pretty  loaves  and  rolls  ;  and 
she  says  that  she  may  decide  to  have  a  "  Bread 
Book." 

There  is  not  room  in  this  chapter  for  all  the  uses  of 
bread ;  but  Mollie  has  recipes  for  biscuits,  rolls,  dry 
toast,  milk  toast,  zwieback,  French  egg  toast,  scalloped 


54 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


dishes,  desserts,  and  so  on.     Her  motto  is,  "  Bread  is 
too  good  to  throw  away." 

Why  use  a  bread  machine  ?     Why  not  !     Why  use 

a  sewing  machine,  or  a 
mowing  machine,  or  a 
cultivator  instead  of 
a  hoe  ^ 

MoUie  Stark  and 
Marjorie  Allen  have 
a  plan  for  surprising 
their  mothers  with 
presents  of  bread  ma- 
chines as  soon  as  they 
themselves  can  save 
the  money.  And  they  have  a  plan,  too,  for  earning  some 
money  by  making  bread  and  rolls  to  sell.  Marjorie's 
mother  has  a  friend  who  would  be  glad  to  buy  bread, 
but  she  says  that  she  soon  tires  of  baker's  bread.  She 
asked  Marjorie  if  she  would  be  willing  to  make  the 
bread  for  her.  Of  course,  Marjorie  and  Barbara  expect 
to  become  experts,  and  to  make  perfect  bread. 


'SB 


Fig.  28. 


Courtesy  of  Landers,  Frary  and  Clark 


An  inexpensive  bread  mixer, 
cover  on  and  off. 


Courtesy  of  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 

Fig.  29.  —  In  her  "  Bread  Book  "  MoUie  Stark  has  pictures  of  pretty  rolls. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 


55 


1.  Should  you  pour  boiling  water  on  a  yeast  cake  to  dissolve 
it  ?     Why,  or  why  not  ? 

2.  Why  should  the  bread  box  be  scalded  out  often  ? 

3.  Calculate  the  cost  of  a  loaf  of  bread  made  with  three  cups 
of  flour. 

4.  What  must  you  count  in,  if  you  want  to  compare  the  cost 
of  a  home  loaf  with  a  baker's  loaf  ? 

5.  Can  you  read  a  thermometer  ?  Look  in  the  dictionary 
to  see  if  there  is  more  than  one  kind,  and  what  the  difference  is. 

6.  Why  can  you  knead  a  dough  of  white  flour  and  stretch 
it,  although  corn  meal  dough  falls  apart  ?  If  you  think  you  do  not 
know,  go  back  to  the  lesson  before  this. 

7.  Was  Marjorie  Allen  correct  when  she  said  that  her  mother 
hadn't  "luck"  with  her  bread  ?     What  should  she  have  said  .? 

8.  Can  you  find  out  why  dough  sours  sometimes  ? 

9.  What  are  the  most  important  points  to  remember  in  mak- 
ing bread  .? 

10.  If  your  bread  is  light  and  the  oven  is  not  ready,  what  will 
you  do  with  the  dough  ? 

11.  Explain  why  you  can  put  a  yeastcake  into  the  ice  box 
without  injuring  it .? 

Lesson  7 
dishes  for  a  school  luncheon 

What  else  may  we  have  for  the  school  luncheon  ?  What  is 
the  diff^erence  between  luncheon  and  other  meals .? 

The  Pleasant  Valley  Luncheon  Club  found  it  neces- 
sary to  have  a  small  committee  each  week  to  make 
plans  for  the  luncheons  for  the  coming  week,  in  order 
that  the  pupils  might  know  what  each  one  should  bring. 
The  committees  did  not  have  disagreeable  disputes, 


56  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

although  they  did  not  always  quite  agree.  The  club 
soon  learned  that  not  all  the  members  could  have  the 
food  they  liked  best  at  every  luncheon,  and  that  it  was 
not  good  sense  to  be  what  John  Alden  called  "  too 
fussy." 

One  day,  when  John  Stark  asked  for  plum  pudding, 
and  his  sister,  MoUie  Stark,  told  him  that  he  could  not 
have  it  because  plum  pudding  is  not  a  luncheon  dish, 
he  said,  **  Why  not  ^  What  is  luncheon  ^  Some  of  us 
call  it  dinner,  anyway."  And  what  is  luncheon,  or 
breakfast,  or  dinner ;  and  what  is  a  meal .?  These 
questions  seemed  to  be  conundrums,  although  the  girls 
and  boys  had  eaten  meals  all  their  lives.  So  they  looked 
up  the  words  in  the  new,  big  dictionary.  They  became 
so  much  interested  that  they  wanted  to  learn  the  words 
for  meals  in  other  languages,  and  they  found  that  different 
nations  have  very  different  habits  in  regard  to  their  food. 

In  our  own  country,  we  usually  have  three  meals,  — 
breakfast,  dinner,  and  supper,  or  tea,  —  or  breakfast, 
luncheon,  and  dinner. 

What  is  a  meal  ?  One  dictionary  says  that  a  meal 
is  "  the  supply  of  food  taken  at  one  time  for  the  relief 
of  hunger,"  and  tells  us  that  in  the  very  old  days  of 
England,  the  Anglo-Saxon  days,  the  word  was  spelled 
"  mael,"  meaning  a  fixed  time.  That  is  very  interest- 
ing ;  for  not  only  is  it  important  to  the  person  preparing 
the  meal  to  have  people  prompt,  but  it  is  very  necessary 
to  us  all  to  eat  at  regular  hours,  —  babies,  little  children, 
and  grown  people,  too. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  57 

Breakfast,  dinner,  luncheon,  supper,  all  are  meals. 
How  do  they  differ  ? 

You  have  heard  of  light  and  heavy  meals,  have  you 
not  ?  When  Marjorie  Allen  told  her  father  that  Miss 
Travers  said  in  one  of  her  lectures  that  bread  and  milk 
and  baked  apples  would  be  good  for  a  farmer  at  noon  of 
a  hot  day,  he  laughed,  and  replied  that  he  had  rather 
have  a  good  square  meal.  What  did  he  mean  ?  Some- 
thing like  this  ^  Well-cooked  corn  beef,  pickles,  pota- 
toes, sweet  corn,  string  beans,  pie,  cake,  coffee  or  tea  ? 
Is  that  a  light  or  a  heavy  meal  ?  What  name  belongs 
to  such  a  meal .? 

If  the  Pleasant  Valley  School  ate  a  meal  like  that  at 
recess,  would  Miss  James  find  her  pupils  wide-awake 
and  quick  at  arithmetic  .?  Who  was  right  about  the 
plum  pudding,  MoUie  or  John  Stark  .?  Is  it  not  true 
that  you  already  know  something  about  meals  ;  and  that 
a  **  light  "  meal  is  one  where  less  food  is  served,  and 
where  the  food  is  more  easily,  or  more  quickly,  digested  ? 
Luncheon  is  a  rather  "  light  "  meal ;  '*  a  slight  repast," 
says  the  dictionary.  If  you  have  not  already  done  so, 
look  in  your  dictionary  to  find  the  rest  of  the  story  about 
the  words  lunch  and  luncheon.  The  other  meals  we 
will  talk  about  as  we  learn  about  preparing  them. 

A  luncheon,  then,  is  a  meal  rather  small  in  quantity, 
and,  in  the  case  of  the  school  lunch,  consisting  of  foods 
that  can  be  carried  easily,  and  readily  prepared. 

What  may  we  add  to  our  list  of  bread,  milk,  fruit 
and  perhaps  vegetables,  cocoa  or  a  cool  fruit  drink .? 


58  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

What  can  we  put  into  sandwiches  ?  We  have  al- 
ready spoken  of  bread  for  sandwiches,  which  must  be 
cut  of  even  thickness  and,  for  the  school  luncheon, 
must  have  the  crusts  left  on.  When  the  crusts  are 
cut  off  for  *'  fancy  "  sandwiches,  they  should  be  saved 
for  a  scalloped  dish  of  some  kind.  Brown  bread  may 
be  used  as  well  as  white. 

The  question  at  the  beginning  of  this  page  can 
be  answered  by  saying,  '*  Almost  anything  eatable." 
The  bread  should  be  evenly  buttered,  and  the  material 
used,  neatly  put  in  ;  and,  if  the  sandwich  is  not  to  be 
very  dry  by  lunch  time,  it  should  be  wrapped  in  paper. 
If  you  are  serving  sandwiches  at  a  fair  or  entertainment, 
put  a  damp  napkin  over  them. 

What  does  sandwich  mean .?  *'  Sandwich  "  is 
another  word  with  a  story.  An  Englishman,  an  Earl 
of  Sandwich  (Sandwich  being  the  name  of  a  place  or 
town),  who  did  not  want  to  stop  to  eat,  used  to  haJve 
slices  of  bread  with  ham  between,  taken  to  him  —  a 
convenient  way  of  having  a  simple  meal.  If  you  butter 
bread,  put  in  it  a  bit  of  crisp  lettuce  or  water  cress,  add 
slices  of  hard-boiled  egg  or  cheese,  or  a  bit  of  cold  meat, 
and  another  piece  of  buttered  bread,  you  have  a  little 
meal,  have  you  not  ? 

How  can  we  prepare  meat  for  sandwiches  ?  You 
do  not  need  meat  for  luncheon  at  school ;  but,  if 
it  is  more  convenient  sometimes  for  Mother  to  give 
you  that  than  anything  else,  a  little  will  do  no 
harm. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


59 


6o  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

The  meat  should  be  shced  thin,  or  chopped  and 
moistened  a  Httle,  that  it  may  be  spread  nicely  on  the 
bread. 

Eggs  for  the  school  luncheon  ?  Some  people  think 
hard-boiled  eggs  indigestible  ;  but  they  are  really  not  so. 
An  tgg  cooked  hard  takes  somewhat  longer  to  digest ; 
and,  if  we  swallow  it  almost  whole,  it  may  not  be  good 
for  us.  Nevertheless  a  hard-boiled  egg  is  a  convenient 
and  useful  food.  Sliced  or  chopped  and  seasoned 
pleasantly,  we  must  chew  egg  if  it  is  in  a  sand- 
wich. This  is  a  good  way  to  take  it.  The  tgg 
should  cook  in  boiling  water  a  half  hour  at  least. 
Cut  it  fine,  moisten  with  a  little  milk,  salt  it,  put  it 
between  the  bread  —  and  you  have  a  very  palatable 
sandwich. 

Nuts  for  luncheon.  We  often  think  of  nuts  as  some- 
thing to  be  eaten  **  for  fun,"  as  somebody  says,  forget- 
ting that  the  squirrel  can  thrive  upon  them.  The 
squirrel  is  certainly  a  most  lively  and  energetic  little 
person,  sometimes  getting  the  nuts  before  you  do. 
Yes,  the  nuts  that  you  love  to  gather  in  the  crisp  autumn 
weather  are  a  good  food  for  you,  provided  you  chew 
them  as  well  as  Squirrel  does.  Eat  them  with  plain 
bread  and  butter  at  lunch  time  ;  or  chop  them,  mix 
them  with  a  little  sour-milk  cheese,  and  make  them 
into  sandwiches.  You  could  not  ask  for  a  better 
meal. 

We  will  plan  for  other  luncheon  dishes  as  we  talk 
about  other  meals. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  6i 

EXERCISES   AND   PROBLEMS 

1.  Explain  why  bread,  milk,  and  apples  make  a  nutritious 
luncheon. 

2.  Look  up  the  words :  meal,  breakfast,  luncheon,  dinner, 
supper,  tea ;    and  write  the  definitions  in  your  cook  book. 

3.  Make  a  list  of  food  materials  that  can  be  used  in  sand- 
wiches. 

4.  See  if  you  can  reason  out  what  foodstuffs  an  egg  contains. 
Do  you  know  why  an  egg  colors  a  silver  spoon  ? 

5.  What  are  some  of  the  foodstuffs  that  nuts  must  contain  .? 

Lesson  8 

A   PICNIC    luncheon 

What  new  can  we  have  for  a  picnic  luncheon  ? 

The  Luncheon  Club  asked  Miss  James  if  she  would 
not  go  with  them  some  pleasant  Saturday  for  a  picnic 
on  the  shores  of  a  beautiful  pond  at  the  head  of  Pleas- 
ant Valley. 

This  sheet  of  water  had  been  stocked  with  fish  by  the 
farmers  of  the  valley,  who  sent  for  advice  to  the  Bureau 
of  Fisheries  at  Washington.  The  members  of  the 
Farmers'  Club  have  permission  to  fish  at  certain  times 
of  the  year.  They  were  very  glad  to  allow  the  Lun- 
cheon Club  to  go  fishing  on  a  holiday  morning. 

The  other  food  for  luncheon  was  arranged  for,  just 
as  the  club  planned  it  on  school  days.  The  different 
members  of  the  club  carried  different  foods  ;  and  all 
together  they  had  enough  bread  and  butter,  sandwiches, 
and  cookies  for  every  one  present.     The  boys  caught 


62 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


the  fish  while  Miss  James  and  the  girls  were  building 
the  fire  and  preparing  to  make  the  cocoa  in  a  kettle 
hung  over  the  fire.  Two  or  three  pans  had  been  loaned 
for  frying  the  fish,  and  you  may  be  sure  that  the  boys 
and  girls  had  a  merry  time  cleaning  and  cooking  the 
fish,  and  eating  the  luncheon.     They  sang  their  club 


Fig.  31. — The  Luncheon  Club  at  the  shore. 

songs,  told  stories,  and  gathered  wild  flowers  to  carry 
home.  There  were  very  few  dishes  to  wash  because 
they  used  wooden  plates  for  the  fish.  All  the  papers 
that  were  left  were  neatly  buried,  because  the  young 
people  ate  their  luncheon  on  the  spot  where  other  peo- 
ple might  go,  and  they  remembered  that  nothing  is  so 
disagreeable  as  to  see  dirty  papers  and  scraps  of  food 
lying  about. 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL 


63 


One  of  the 
girls  said,  "  May 
we  have  a  lesson 
at  school  on 
cooking  fish,  for 
there  are  so 
many  ways  that 
it  can  be  done  ?  " 
The  next  time 
that  the  cooking 
class  met  on 
their  regular  day 
they  studied  the 
fish  question. 

Here  are  a  few 
recipes.     We  cannot  always  have  fresh  fish,  and  should 
learn  to  use  fish  salted  and  canned. 

Creamed  codfish. 

Soak  the  salted  fish  in  cold  water.  Pull  it  apart  with  knife 
and  fork.  Put  it  in  a  saucepan  of  cold  water,  allow  the  water 
to  heat  slowly,  and  stop  the  heating  just  before  the  water 
reaches  the  boiling  point.  Pour  off  the  water,  shake  the  sauce- 
pan over  the  fire,  add  a  thin  butter  sauce,  and  reheat.  Serve 
on  toast,  if  you  wish. 


Courtesy  of  the  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College. 

Fig.  32.  —  A  dish  of  scalloped  fish.  See  page  85. 
Notice  how  neatly  the  cloth  is  wrapped  around  the 
dish  in  which  the  fish  is  cooked. 


Baked  fish. 

Almost  any  medium-sized  fish  is  suitable  for  baking. 
Clean  the  fish,   seeing  that  all  scales  are  removed.  Stuff 
and  sew.     Shape  with  skewers  to  form  a  letter  S  and  place 
upright  on  a  baking  pan  or  lay  the  fish  on  its  side.     If  the 


64  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

fish  is  not  fatty,  put  strips  of  salt  pork  over  it,  and  in  the  pan, 
or  cut  gashes  in  the  fish  and  lay  strips  of  pork  in  them.  Dredge 
with  flour.  Bake  one  hour  for  a  three-pound  fish,  pouring 
the  fat  in  the  pan  over  it,  once  in  a  while.  Serve  with  butter 
sauce  or  plain. 

The  stuffing  can  be  made  of  bread  crumbs  moistened  slightly 
with  water  and  seasoned  with  salt  and  a  teaspoonful  of  dried 
herbs.     It  is  not  necessary,  however,  to  use  it. 

Another  way  of  baking  a  fish  is  to  put  slices  cut  from  a  large 
fish,  in  a  greased  pan,  covering  the  fish  with  milk  and  letting 
it  bake  slowly  for  about  half  an  hour,  or  until  the  flesh  loosens 
from  the  bones.  Cover  the  fish  during  the  first  half  of  the 
cooking,  and  then  remove  the  cover  and  sprinkle  the  fish  with 
crumbs.  If  the  fish  is  baked  in  an  earthen  dish,  serve  it  in 
the  same  dish. 

Canned  oysters  creamed. 

Open  the  can  and  wash  off^  the  oysters  in  a  colander  or  strainer. 
Make  a  thin  butter  sauce,  seasoning  with  celery  salt  or  celery 
leaves.  When  the  sauce  is  done,  heat  the  oysters  in  it  for  a 
minute,  and  serve  on  toast. 

Canned  salmon  creamed. 

Open  the  can,  pick  over  the  salmon,  being  careful  to  remove 
the  bones.  Let  it  air  for  an  hour  or  so  and  serve  in  a  hot 
sauce  as  you  would  the  oysters. 

Butter  sauce. 

What  and  how  much. 

Milk,  cold  I  cup 

Water,  hot  i  cup 

Butter  or  beef  fat  2  tablespoonfuls 

Flour  2  tablespoonfuls 

Pepper  J  teaspoonful 

Salt  J  teaspoonful 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  65 

How  to  make.  Melt  the  butter  in  a  saucepan ;  let  it  bubble 
but  not  burn ;  add  the  flour,  salt  and  pepper ;  mix  well ;  add  all 
of  the  milk  cold ;  and  stir  steadily  until  the  mixture  thickens. 
Pour  in  the  hot  water  slowly,  stirring  all  the  time.  To  keep 
sauce  hot,  cover  and  set  it  over  hot  water. 

All  sauces  may  be  made  in  the  same  way,  with  other  liquids 
to  take  the  place  of  milk, — tomato  juice,  for  instance.  Onions, 
if  used,  should  be  cut  fine  and  browned  in  part  of  the  butter 
before  the  flour  is  added. 

Fish  and  clam  chowder. 

This  can  be  made  with  fresh  clams  or  canned  clams,  fresh 
fish  or  salt  fish.  If  the  salt  fish  is  used,  it  should  be  soaked 
before  it  is  put  into  the  chowder. 

What  and  how  much. 

Clams  or  fish  in  pieces  i  quart 

Potatoes  4  cups,  cut  in  thick  slices 

Onion  i  chopped 

Salt  I  tablespoonful 

Pepper  |  teaspoonful 

Butter  or  pork  4  tablespoonfuls 

Milk  6  cups,  scalded 
Soda  crackers 

How  to  make.  If  clams  are  used,  clean  and  pick  them  over, 
cut  off"  the  hard  part,  chop,  and  strain  the  clam  liquor.  Or  if  you 
are  using  fish,  cut  it  into  pieces.  Try  out  a  little  pork  in  a 
large  kettle  and  fry  the  onion  in  it.  If  it  is  a  clam  chowder,  cook 
the  potatoes  first  and  drain.  Then  put  into  the  kettle  layers 
of  clams,  potatoes,  and  crackers;  add  the  milk  and  butter; 
cook  for  three  minutes ;  and  add  the  clam  liquor  hot.  If  it 
is  a  fish  chowder,  put  the  potatoes  in  raw  with  the  fish  and 
cook  the  chowder  half  an  hour.     With  pork,  omit  butter. 

The  Luncheon  Club  made  this  chowder  at  school  one  day  in 
the  fall  on  a  fire  built  out  of  doors,  for  the  smell  of  fish  in  the 


66  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

schoolroom  is  not  very  pleasant.  Of  course,  the  canned 
salmon  could  be  used  for  a  luncheon  dish  at  school,  as  it  is 
already  cooked. 

What  is  the  value  of  fish  as  food  ?  Fish  is  one  of 
the  meat  substitutes.  People  who  live  on  the  coast 
can  make  it  their  chief  animal  food.  It  costs  some- 
what less  than  meat,  at  least  in  some  places.  When 
we  can,  we  should  use  it  at  least  two  or  three  times  a 
week  for  one  meal  or  another.  It  is  just  about  as  di- 
gestible as  meat,  although  some  of  the  oily  fish,  like 
herring,  mackerel,  salmon,  and  shad,  are  a  little  more 
difficult  of  digestion  than  cod  or  haddock.  We  must 
not  think  of  fish  as  a  "  brain  food."  Some  people 
used  to  say  that  it  was  good  for  the  brain  because  it 
contained  phosphorus,  but  fish  has  no  more  phosphorus 
than  some  other  food,  and  the  brain  has  no  more  need 
of  phosphorus  than  have  other  parts  of  our  body. 

Having  fish  fresh.  Fish  spoils  very  easily.  If  we 
live  far  away  from  the  seacoast,  unless  we  happen  to 
be  near  ponds  or  rivers,  it  is  better  for  us  to  use  canned 
or  smoked  fish  than  fish  that  has  been  kept  a  long  time. 
It  can  be  carried  on  ice,  however,  for  a  long  distance. 
If  you  buy  fish  from  a  cart  that  comes  to  your  neighbor- 
hood, notice  that  the  flesh  is  firm  and  the  eyes  bright. 
Fish  always  has  a  disagreeable  odor  ;  but,  if  it  is  spoiled 
at  all,  the  smell  is  very  unpleasant. 

Cooking  fish.  The  flakes  of  fish  fall  apart  very  easily 
because  the  connective  tissue  softens  more  easily  than 
the  tissues  of  meat.     When  you  boil  fish  it  is  best 


LUNCHEON  AT  SCHOOL  e^ 

to  wrap  it  in  a  cloth  so  that  it  may  not  break  and  it  is 
a  good  idea  to  bake  it  in  the  dish  in  which  it  will  be 
served. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  As  fish  is  a  meat  substitute,  what  important  foodstuffs 
must  it  contain  ? 

2.  If  there  are  fish  in  your  neighborhood,  make  a  list  of  the 
seasons  when  they  are  caught.  If  you  are  not  near  the  coast, 
perhaps  your  teacher  can  help  you  to  find  this  in  some  cook  book. 

3.  Make  a  list  of  the  different  dishes  in  which  fish  could  be 
used  as  a  substitute  for  meat. 


REVIEW 

1.  What  ideas  have  you  for  cooking  a  lunch  at  school .? 

2.  Is  it  worth  while  to  have  fruit  juices  in  the  diet  \ 

3.  How  may  fruit  juices  be  prepared  for  the  school  luncheon  } 

4.  Is  there  any  reason  for  drinking  water  freely  many  times 
a  day  1 

5.  It  is  very  important  that  water  be  kept  pure.     Can  you 
tell  how  water  may  be  kept  pure  ? 

6.  Is  there  any  reason  why  one  should  be  very  careful  about 
the  source  of  his  water  supply  ? 

7.  What  general  directions  can  you  give  about  cooking  ? 

8.  There  are  several  ways  to  prepare  cocoa.     Can  you  suggest 
one .? 

9.  Tell  how  to  prepare  two  simple  dishes  from  milk. 

10.  What  valuable  food  substance  does  milk  contain } 

11.  Do  you  know  why  the  foodstuff  we  call  protein  is  so  im- 
portant 1 

12.  How  may  milk  be  kept  pure  and  clean } 

13.  What  are  the  points  in  good  bread  t 

14.  Name  the  foodstuffs  bread  contains. 


68  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

15.  Compare  bread  with  other  staple  foods  as  to  value  and  cost. 

16.  What  is  yeast  ?     Can  you  tell  why  yeast  is  used  in  bread  ? 

17.  Give  complete  directions  for  making  white  bread. 

18.  Just  what  is  a  meal  ? 

19.  What  are  some  ways  for  using  eggs  in  the  school  luncheon  ? 

20.  You  gathered  nuts  last  fall.     Think  of  ways  to  use  them  in 
the  school  luncheon. 

21.  Why  is  fish  valuable  as  a  food  .? 

22.  How  can  one  know  whether  the  fish  one  buys  is  fresh  ? 

23.  Give  one  good  fish  recipe  that  could  be  used  in  a  luncheon 
prepared  at  school. 


CHAPTER   III 

THE  HOME  SUPPER 
Lesson  9 
preparing  supper 
How  may  we  help  in  preparing  supper  ? 

Supper  is  one  of  the  pleasantest  meals  of  the  day, 
because  the  hardest  work  is  over  for  all,  and  there  seems 
to  be  more  time  for  the  family  to  chat  pleasantly,  with- 
out a  feeling  of  hurry.  In  summer  the  supper  comes  at 
the  coolest  hour,  and  in  the  winter  there  is  a  feeling  of 
comfort  in  the  warmth  of  the  fire  and  the  brightness 
of  the  lighted  lamps. 

If  a  girl  has  not  learned  to  prepare  a  meal,  supper 
is  a  practical  one  for  her  to  begin  with ;  it  will  give  her 
mother  a  little  leisure  at  the  end  of  a  busy  day,  and  the 
girl  herself  is  back  from  school,  and  glad  to  do  something 
to  help.     Miss  James,  the  teacher  of  the  Pleasant  Valley 

69 


70  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

School,  gives  credit  for  home  work,  as  a  part  of  the 
household  arts  work ;  but  this  should  not  be  needed  to 
make  an  energetic  girl  ready  for  the  task.  Marjorie 
Allen,  Mollie  Stark,  and  the  other  girls  were  discussing 
music  at  one  of  their  club  meetings,  for  they  have  a  chorus 
in  Pleasant  Valley ;  and  they  all  agreed  that  the  time 
to  play  or  practice  upon  the  piano  or  organ  is  not  while 
Mother  is  getting  a  meal  or  washing  dishes.  What  do 
you  think  about  it  ?  After  you  have  helped  with  the 
work,  then  in  the  quiet  of  the  evening,  when  all  the 
grown  people  can  listen  and  join  in  the  music,  is  not  that 
a  better  time  ^ 

Setting  the  table.  This  is  a  pretty  piece  of  work  for 
the  little  ones  before  they  learn  to  cook.  Marjorie 
Allen  makes  a  play  of  the  table  setting  for  the  younger 
sisters  and  brothers.  They  have  a  table-setting  song, 
and  march  back  and  forth  in  time  to  the  music.  Can- 
not some  one  of  you  make  a  rhyme  for  this  occasion  ^ 

The  dining  table.  The  table  may  be  standing  in  the 
kitchen  or  the  living  room,  or,  if  the  house  is  large, 
there  may  be  a  separate  dining  room ;  but  this  is  not 
necessary,  and,  while  it  is  very  pleasant  in  many  ways, 
it  does  make  more  steps.  One  of  the  houses  in  Pleasant 
Valley  has  a  large  old-fashioned  kitchen  across  the  back 
of  the  house  with  the  cooking  conveniences  at  one  end, 
and  at  the  other,  a  place  for  the  dining  table.  Near  the 
table  is  a  corner  cupboard  that  holds  enough  dishes  for 
the  table.  That  end  of  the  room  is  cool  because  there 
are  two  doors.     The  oldest  daughter  has  made  a  screen 


THE   HOME  SUPPER 


71 


from  a  clotheshorse  covered  with  a  pretty  chintz- 
patterned  caHco ;  and,  when  the  meal  is  ready,  she 
stands  the  screen  where  it  cuts  off  the  heat  of  the  stove. 
There  could  not  be  a  pleasanter  place  for  a  meal,  when 


Courtesy  of  Whitcomb  and  BarTOV)S. 
Fig.  33.  — An  easy  way  to  set  an  attractive  table. 

Father  comes  in  from  work,  and  Mother  is  glad  to  rest 
a  minute. 

In  the  Allen  family,  the  father  and  brothers  have  a 
knack  for  carpentering.     When  farm  work  was  slack, 


72 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


they  added  a  piazza  to  the  house  outside  the  kitchen, 
screened  it  in;  and  they  have  all  their  meals  there  in 
warm  and  pleasant  weather.  A  shelf  on  each  side  the 
window  ledge  makes  it  easy  to  pass  things  through 
from  the  kitchen.  Several  other  families  in  Pleasant 
Valley  followed  this  fashion.     (Fig.  75.) 

What  shall  we  have  to  cover  the  table  }    The  table 
itself  is  probably  an  extension  table  with  a  smooth  top. 


Fig.  34.  — A  table  laid  with  doilies.     The  napkin  should  be  at  the  left. 

A  dull  finish  is  better  than  a  polished  top,  because  it  does 
not  become  spotted  or  scratched  so  easily. 

For  a  cover,  have  you  ever  tried  white  table  oilcloth 
in  the  summer  .?  It  looks  cool,  can  be  washed  off  quickly 
at  the  end  of  each  meal,  and  saves  laundry  work  in  hot 
weather.  Why  should  a  large  tablecloth  be  used  in 
summer  or,  indeed,  in  winter  ?  Miss  Travers,  from  the 
State  College,  advised  the  members  of  the  Woman's 
Club  to  give  them  up  and  instead  to  use  doilies  or  strips 


THE  HOME  SUPPER 


73 


of  cloth  or  larger  cloths  that  just  cover  the  table. 
Some  of  the  members,  of  course,  did  not  want  to  give 
up  their  linen  in  the  shape  of  large  tablecloths  ;  but, 
after  all,  is  not  the  simplest  often  the  most  beautiful 
as  well  as  the  most  labor  saving  ? 

Here  is  a  picture  (Fig.  35)  of  a  table  simply  laid  with 


m 

B    -"'ffi^g 

<  1 

1:^  ' 

1 

Courtesy  of  the  Bureau  of  Publicattorts,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 
Fig.  35.  — A  table  laid  with  strips  of  blue  and  white  Japanese  toweling. 


Strips  placed  across  in  such  a  way  that  they  lie  under 
each  place.  These  happen  to  be  made  of  Japanese 
toweling,  with  blue  or  brown  figures,  that  costs  only  ten 
cents  a  yard,  and  is  easy  to  wash ;    but  strips  of  plain 


74 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


toweling  are  pretty  used  in  the  same  way,  —  a  rather 
fine  "  crash,"  for  instance.  Or  you  may  use  squares 
of  cloth  with  a  simple  edge,  called  doilies.^  These  can 
be  made  in  sewing  lessons  at  school,  or  for  extra  home 


Fig.  36.  —  A  plan  for  laying  one  place,      i,  plate;   2,  fork;   3,  knife;  4,  spoons; 
5,  napkin;   6,  bread  and  butter  plate;   7,  glass  for  water. 


work.  Paper  napkins  in  the  summer  are  a  great  con- 
venience ;  and  why  not  for  all  the  year  .?  If  cloth  nap- 
kins must  be  used,  have  small  ones. 

Laying  the  table.  To  have  everything  clean  and 
fresh  is  the  first  important  thing ;  next,  to  have  plates, 
spoons,  and  forks  laid  straight.  The  drawing  (Fig.  36) 
shows  a  simple  way  of  laying  a  place.  The  napkins 
should  be  placed  at  the  left.  Stand  salt  and  pepper 
shakers  where  they  are  easily  reached,  and  have  mats, 

1  D'Oyley  was  the  name  of  a  merchant  in  England  in  the  eighteenth  century. 


THE  HOME   SUPPER  75 

straw  or  crocheted,  where  the  hot  dishes  are  to  stand, 
with  a  tablespoon  ready  for  helping  the  food.  Always 
know  what  food  is  to  be  put  on  the  table,  and  plan 
dishes  accordingly.  In  cold  weather,  at  least,  heat  the 
plates  and  dishes. 

Busy  people  sometimes  leave  a  few  of  the  articles  on 
the  table  from  meal  to  meal.  If  you  do  this,  it  is  nec- 
essary to  cover  the  table  to  keep  off  a  stray  fly ;  and 
you  should  be  careful  that  all  crumbs  are  brushed  off 
before  the  cover  is  put  over.  It  is  neater  to  clear  off 
the  table  after  every  meal. 

How  can  we  help  at  the  table  ^  When  we  wait  on 
ourselves,  this  should  be  done  pleasantly  and  all  should 
take  a  share,  each  person  helping  to  serve  one  or  more 
dishes.  The  Allen  children  take  turns  as  waiter  in  re- 
moving the  soiled  dishes  and  the  food,  and  in  putting 
on  the  dessert.  A  quick  way  is  to  place  a  tray  on  a 
small  stand  near  the  table,  taking  the  dishes  from  one 
place  at  a  time  and  sorting  them  on  the  tray  as  you  go. 
The  tray  can  then  be  carried  into  the  kitchen,  with  the 
dishes  ready  for  washing. 

One  mother  uses  a  plan  for  having  everybody  help 
at  breakfast  time,  by  serving  himself  on  a  tray. 

The  breakfast  is  kept  hot  on  the  stove.  On  the 
kitchen  table  are  all  the  dishes  needed  and  a  small  tray, 
one  for  each  of  the  family  of  four.  Even  the  little 
boy  sets  his  own  tray,  helps  himself  to  food,  and  takes 
his  place  at  the  table.  When  the  meal  is  ended,  each 
one  carries  out  his  own  dishes.     This  plan  might  not 


^6  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

work  with  a  large  family,  and  some  people  would  not 
like  it. 

Mollie  Stark's  older  brother  made  a  turntable  on  a 
pivot  in  the  center  of  the  table  and  standing  above  it. 
All  the  dishes  of  food  were  placed  on  this,  and  each  one 
helped  himself.  The  table  has  to  be  round  to  make  this 
device  convenient. 

What  patterns  shall  we  choose  for  the  table  china  ? 
We  cannot  all  see  beauty  in  the  same  kind  of  thing. 
Some  of  us  enjoy  bright  colors  and  gay  patterns.  Some 
things  are  in  good  taste  in  certain  places  and  not  in 
others,  however.  Although  large  figures  and  striking 
colors  may  attract  our  attention  when  we  are  buying 
chinaware,  we  may  become  very  tired  of  the  design 
when  we  see  it  every  day.  It  is  wiser  to  buy  dishes 
with  a  simple  pattern  and  quiet  color.  A  narrow 
border  of  gold  or  of  gold  and  green  is  pretty  ;  and  one 
does  not  grow  tired  of  such  a  simple  pattern.  Notice 
the  two  designs  on  the  china  in  the  picture  (Fig.  38) 
and  also  on  the  platters  in  the  pictures  of  cooked  food 
throughout  this  volume.  Of  course,  if  you  are  fortu- 
nate in  having  some  old  pieces  of  china  or  earthenware 
that  belonged  to  your  grandmother,  perhaps,  you  will 
prize  them  and  take  good  care  of  them ;  and  they 
make  interesting  ornaments  for  the  kitchen  or  dining- 
room  shelf. 

If  you  are  not  quite  happy  without  gay  dishes,  then 
select  a  good  pattern  in  some  pitcher,  or  plate,  or  single 
dish,  to  be  used  once  in  a  while.     Do  you  know  that  a 


THE   HOME   SUPPER 


V 


pretty  thing  interests  us  more  if  we  do  not  see  it  all  the 
time  ?  The  Japanese,  who  have  a  strong  artistic  sense, 
have  only  a  few  beautiful  objects  out  at  one  time,  chang- 
ing one  for  another  to  refresh  the  eyes.  In  the  picture 
(Fig.  37)  you  find  two  pitchers,  good  in  shape  and  easy 


"  Selection  of  Household  Equipment."    Year  Book.    Department  of  Agriculture,  1914. 
Fig.  37.  —Two  pitchers,  good  in  shape  and  easy  to  wash. 

to  wash.  The  larger  is  an  old-time  pattern  in  blue. 
The  other  picture  (Fig.  38)  shows  a  pretty  teapot  of 
an  antique  pattern,  but  it  is  so  hard  to  clean  that  it 
would  better  be  kept  as  an  ornament.  We  need  to 
think  of  other  points  in  our  china,  in  addition  to  its 
beauty,  you  see. 

Flowers  on  the  table.     In  a  busy  household  and  with 
a  large  family,  perhaps  we  cannot  always  have  flowers 


78 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


on  the  table ;  but  when  the  first  rose  opens,  or  some 
other  flower  is  beginning  to  bloom,  put  it  in  a  vase  in 
the  middle  of  the  table,  and  see  if  it  is  not  enjoyed. 

Setting  the  table  for  company.     Of  course,  the  table 
should  be  neat  and  pretty  for  the  home  people,  but  we 


"  Selection  of  Household  Equipment."    Year  Book.    Department  of  Agriculture,  1914. 

Fig.  38. — A  pretty  teapot  of  antique  pattern,  but  so  hard  to   clean  that  it 
better  be  kept  as  an  ornament. 

all  like  to  honor  our  guests  and  to  show  them  that  we 
are  glad  to  have  them  with  us.  Some  of  the  prettiest 
dishes  may  be  used  that  we  do  not  always  place  on  the 
table ;  and  this  is  a  time  for  a  few  flowers  arranged  in 
the  center  of  the  table. 

Some  people  think  it  necessary  to  serve  their  company 
with  several  kinds  of  cake,  and  preserves ;  and  one 
wonders  sometimes  if  their  friends  may  not  have  indi- 


THE   HOME   SUPPER 


79 


gestion  from  overeating.  It  is  in  better  taste,  and 
kinder,  to  have  only  one  of  each  kind  of  food,  each  dish 
well  cooked  and  daintily  served  ;  otherwise,  the  table 
may  look  as  if  it  held  a  food  exhibit  instead  of  a  meal. 
"'  Gold  '*  and  "  silver  "  cake  look  pretty  together  on 
a  plate,  and  are  not  too  much  to  serve  ;  but  one  layer 
cake  is  enough  for  any  meal. 

What  shall  we  say  about  table  manners  ?     One  day 
after  the  Girls'  Club  had  given  a  luncheon  to  their 


«. 

Fig.  39.  —  Incorrect  position  for  hold- 
ing knife  and  fork. 


Correct  position  for  holding  knife 
and  fork. 


friends  in  the  Ellen  H.  Richards  house,  Barbara  Oakes 
said  :  "  It  seems  to  me  that  it  is  just  as  important  to 
know  how  to  use  the  forks  and  knives  and  spoons  as 
it  is  to  lay  them  straight  on  the  table.  Did  you  notice 
how  differently  people  use  their  forks  and  spoons  ?  I 
wonder  if  Miss  James  would  talk  it  over  with  us." 
Their  teacher  was  glad  to  do  so,  and  she  made  several 
helpful  suggestions.  Miss  James  said  that  the  use  of 
silver  and  dishes  at  the  table  varies  in  different  coun- 
tries and  at  different  periods.  For  instance,  in  old 
times  in  America  it  was  considered  quite  proper  to  pour 


8o 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


the  tea  out  into  the  saucer  and  to  drink  from  that ; 
and  knives  were  made  with  round  ends  because  the 
knife  was  once  used  for  carrying  food  to  the  mouth. 
But  there  are  certain  principles  of  good  manners  that 'we 
all  can  remember.  Eating  slowly,  drinking  either  a 
hot  or  cold  beverage  when  the  mouth  is  empty,  chew- 
ing food  with  the  mouth  closed  and  without  making 
a  noise,  and,  of  course,  not  dropping  food,  are  all  de- 
tails that  we  should  learn  ; 
because  otherwise  we 
make  ourselves  disagree- 
able to  other  people.  It 
is  considered  better  to 
take  soup  from  the  side 
of  the  spoon  than  from 
the  end.  Sometimes  peo- 
ple are  worried  as  to 
whether  they  should  hold 
the  fork  in  the  left  or  the  right  hand.  Which  hand 
to  use  really  is  not  a  matter  of  great  importance,  pro- 
vided the  fork  is  managed  nicely.  The  English  cus- 
tom is  to  hold  the  fork  in  the  left  hand,  lifting  it  to 
the  mouth  ;  the  French  are  inclined  to  hold  the  fork 
in  the  right  hand,  using  it  somewhat  as  one  would  a 
spoon.  The  important  thing  is  to  use  the  fork  quietly 
and  naturally  and  without  spilling  food.  When  we  are 
invited  to  a  formal  luncheon  or  dinner,  where  there  is 
quite  an  array  of  silver,  we,  of  course,  like  to  do  as  other 
people.     The  soup  spoon  we  can  easily  know  because  it 


Fig.  40.  —  The  fork  is  in  the  right  hand 
ready  to  carry  food  to  the  mouth. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  8i 

is  larger.  Some  people  have  a  small  fork  with  one  broad 
tine  for  fish.  Fish  is  usually  supposed  to  be  eaten  with 
a  fork  as  it  does  not  need  cutting.  If  there  are  two  or 
three  knives,  the  smallest  is  probably  for  the  bread  and 
butter,  and  the  largest  for  cutting  meat.  If  there  are 
two  forks,  one  smaller  and  one  larger,  the  smaller  is  prob- 
ably for  the  salad  and  the  larger  for  the  meat  dish. 
It  is  not  worth  while  to  be  nervous  and  uncomfortable 
simply  because  the  way  of  laying  silver  is  not  quite 
familiar.  It  is  usually  the  custom  to  arrange  silver  at  a 
formal  affair  in  such  a  way  that  the  outer  pieces  are  used 
first.  If  you  eat  quietly  and  slowly,  making  as  quiet 
motions  as  possible,  your  manners  will  be  acceptable. 

Talking  at  the  table.  There  is  one  thing  that  does 
more  at  the  meal  than  the  table  setting,  and  almost 
more  than  the  good  food.  Do  you  know  what  it  is  ? 
If  you  happen  to  be  feeling  what  you  call  *'  out  of  sorts," 
make  yourself  tell  an  amusing  story,  and  see  what  a 
flavor  it  adds  to  the  supper. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Discuss  together  diflPerent  ways  of  setting  and  waiting  on 
the  table. 

2.  Make  a  list  of  dishes  needed  for  a  family  of  six  or  eight. 

3.  Send  for  some  price  list  of  dishes,  and  calculate  the  cost. 

4.  Make  a  simple  plan  for  waiting  on  your  home  table. 

5.  Make  suggestions  for  covering  the  table  for  breakfast,  for  a 
simple  and  a  formal  luncheon,  and  for  a  family  dinner  and  a  dinner 
when  there  are  guests. 

6.  Make  a  drawing  of  one  place  laid  for  dinner. 


82  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Lesson  io 
dishes  suitable  for  supper 
What  shall  we  have  for  supper  ? 

As  supper  comes  late  in  the  day,  we  want,  when  we 
can,  to  choose  those  foods  that  will  need  little  cooking ; 
and  thus  we  make  as  little  work  as  possible.  We 
have  to  remember,  too,  the  time  of  year,  for  in  sum- 
mer we  may  not  want  a  hot  dish  ;  whereas  in  winter, 
a  warm  supper  is  just  what  we  need. 

A  simple  supper.  If  we  are  thinking  only  of  the 
needs  of  the  body,  a  supper  of  bread  and  milk,  with 
some  cooked  fruit  or  berries,  is  all  that  is  required 
in  warm  weather.  People  who  are  satisfied  with  this, 
are  very  sensible  and  fortunate.  But  what  shall  we 
give  to  those  who  want  something  else  ^ 

There  will  be  bread  and  butter,  of  course  ;  something 
sweet  in  the  way  of  simple  cake  or  gingerbread  or 
cookies  ;  fruit,  either  berries  or  cooked  canned  fruit ; 
cocoa  or  tea.  Do  we  want  meat  or  a  substitute  for  it  ? 
Is  there  some  cheese  in  the  house  .?  There  is  a  cheese 
toast  that  will  make  a  hot  dish  to  take  the  place  of  meat. 
It  can  be  cooked  in  a  frying  pan  on  top  of  an  oil  stove. 
This  dish  can  be  added  to  the  list  of  foods  prepared  at 
school. 

Cheese  toast. 

What.     Skim  milk,  slices  of  stale  bread  J  inch  thick,  salt, 
an  egg,  cheese,  cut  thin  or  grated. 

How  much.     Enough  slices  for  the  family. 


THE   HOME  SUPPER  83 

Utensils.  A  flat  dish,  a  frying  pan,  a  bread  knife  or  griddle- 
cake  turner. 

How  to  make.  Beat  the  egg  in  the  dish,  add  the  milk  and 
salt.  Lay  in  one  or  two  slices  of  bread  at  a  time  until  the 
slice  is  moist  all  through,  but  not  soft. 

Have  the  frying  pan  hot  and  greased  a  little.  Lay  in  as 
many  of  the  slices  as  the  pan  will  hold.  Brown  the  slices  on 
one  side  and  turn  to  brown  on  the  other.  Sprinkle  grated 
cheese  on  the  top,  or  lay  on  thin  slices.  When  the  lower  side 
is  browned  and  the  cheese  melted,  the  toast  is  ready  to  serve. 

Another  way. 

Omit  the  cheese,  and  serve  the  toast  with  a  little  jelly  on  the 
top,  or  with  maple  or  brown  sugar  sprinkled  on. 

Both  of  these  are  good  in  winter,  as  well  as  in  summer. 

How  shall  we  serve  meat  for  supper .?  Some  people 
think  that  they  must  have  meat  for  supper.  The  ques- 
tion of  meat  is  found  in  another  lesson  farther  on.  If 
somebody  must  have  it,  then  we  will  prepare  it  well,  of 
course. 

If  a  solid  piece  of  meat  is  left  from  dinner,  slice  it 
cold,  and  serve  with  a  little  mustard  or  pickle. 

If  there  is  gravy  left,  chop  the  meat,  and  warm  it  in 
the  gravy,  but  do  not  cook  it  long  enough  to  make  the 
meat  hard.  Make  it  savory  by  adding  a  little  tomato, 
a  bit  of  onion,  or  celery  leaves,  and  serve  it  on  bread  or 
toast. 

What  is  scalloped  meat  .^  This  word  "  scalloped  " 
is  used  for  those  cooked  dishes  where  there  are  layers 
of  two  different  food  materials,  first  one  and  then  the 
other,  —  some   starchy  material   already  cooked,   like 


84  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

bread  crumbs,  or  boiled  rice,  or  potato,  with  meat  or 
fish  or  eggs  or  fruit.  The  name  scalloped  was  given  at 
first  to  a  food  that  was  heated  in  a  large  scallop  shell 
with  crumbs  on  top.  Although  we  now  use  a  dish  in 
place  of  the  shell  most  commonly,  we  keep  the  name.^ 

How  shall  we  make  a  scalloped  dish  ? 

This  is  not  the  kind  of  dish  where  exact  measures  are 
needed.  You  need  enough  material  to  fill  a  baking  dish  large 
enough  for  your  family.  Use  what  you  have  on  hand.  Sup- 
pose you  find  in  the  pantry  some  pieces  of  cold  meat,  —  per- 
haps of  more  than  one  kind,  stale  bread,  stewed  tomato,  canned 
or  fresh.     Make  as  follows  : 

a.  Grease  a  baking  dish. 

h.   Cut  the  rneat  in  small  pieces  or  chop  or  grind  it. 

c.  Crumb  the  bread. 

d.  Put  a  layer  of  crumbs  in  the  bottom  of  the  dish,  then  a 
layer  of  meat,  and  a  layer  of  tomato.  Sprinkle  on  a  little 
salt.  Put  in  another  layer  of  bread  and  so  on  until  the  dish 
is  full,  having  the  crumbs  on  top.  Moisten  the  top  layer  of 
crumbs  with  tomato  juice  or  water,  and  put  on  it  a  few  bits  of 
butter,  or  a  little  suet,  or  beef  fat  tried  out. 

e.  Heat  and  brown  in  the  oven. 

The  dish  can  be  made  without  tomato.  Then  water  or  gravy 
will  be  needed  to  moisten  it. 

Meat  with  rice  or  potato. 

If  there  is  cold  boiled  rice  or  cold  mashed  potato  on  hand, 
use  either  in  place  of  the  bread.  Or,  if  the  cold  potatoes  are 
whole,  slice  the  potatoes,  chop  the  meat,  and  make  every  other 
layer  of  those.     A  bit  of  some  vegetable,  onion,  carrot,  or  tur- 

^  If  you  ever  visit  a  part  of  the  coast  where  the  large  scallop  shells 
wash  up  on  the  beach,  collect  a  set  of  several,  and  use  them  for  warming 
up  meat  or  fish  with  crumbs  on  top,  one  for  each  person. 


THE  HOME  SUPPER 


8S 


nip  can  be  mixed  with  the  meat ;  or  use  fish,  oysters  or  clams, 
or  hard-boiled  eggs  sliced,  in  place  of  the  meat.  As  this  kind 
of  dish  needs  an  oven,  it  is  perhaps  better  for  that  reason  in 
winter  than  in  summer,  unless  for  some  cool  day  when  there 
is  a  fire,  —  or  if  there  is  an  oven  to  the  oil  stove. 

Some  other  supper  dishes.  The  main  dish  for  supper 
that  has  meat  in  it,  or  something  to  take  the  place  of 
meat,  can  be  a  warmed-over  dish,  you  see. 

The  baked-bean  loaf  is  a  very  good  substitute  for 
meat. 


Courlt.iy  uf  tile  New  York  Statt  CulUgt  0/ Agriculture  at  CorruU  Unutrsuu . 


Fig.  41.  —  Baked-bean  loaf. 


Baked-bean  loaf. 

What  and  how  much. 

I  pint  cold  baked  beans 
I  egg,  beaten 
I  cupful  bread  crumbs 
Salt  and  pepper 


finely 


1  tablespoonful 
minced  onion 

2  tablespoonfuls  tomato 

catsup 


86  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

How  to  make.  Combine  the  ingredients,  and  shape  the 
mixture  into  a  loaf.  Bake  it  for  twenty-five  minutes.  Serve 
with  strips  of  broiled  bacon  on  the  top. 

With  baked  beans,  one  likes  Boston  brown  bread. 

Boston  brown  bread. 

What  and  how  much. 

Corn  meal  i|  cup 

Rye  or  Graham  2  cups 

Salt  I  teaspoonful 

Soda  I  teaspoonful 

Molasses  i  cup 

Thick  sour  milk  2  cups 

Butter  (melted)  2  tablespoonfuls 

How  to  make.  Mix  in  the  order  given,  stirring  the  molasses 
and  milk  together  first.  Put  the  mixture  in  a  greased  pail, 
cover  tightly,  and  put  the  pail  in  a  kettle  of  water  to  boil  3 
to  5  hours. 

In  winter,  a  stew  of  clams  or  oysters  made  with  milk 
IS  a  comfortable  or,  as  some  one  has  said,  a  "  com- 
forting "  dish.  These  are  not  found  fresh  near  Pleasant 
Valley,  but  canned  oysters  or  clams  are  safe  if  they  are 
put  up  in  a  good  cannery. 

Marjorie  Allen  tried  making  a  milk  or  cream  vege- 
table soup  one  cold  winter  evening,  and  the  family  en- 
joyed it  thoroughly.     (See  page  231.) 

We  seem,  in  selecting  the  main  supper  dish,  to  be 
searching  for  something  that  satisfies  the  appetite,  is 
nutritious,  and  does  not  make  much  work  at  supper 
time. 


THE  HOME  SUPPER  87 


EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Explain  why  the  cheese  toast  takes  the  place  of  meat. 

2.  Why  is  it  just  as  well  to  use  skim  as  whole  milk  in  this  dish  ? 

3 .  Make  out  several  plans  for  summer  suppers  and  winter  suppers. 

4.  Make  a  list  of  other  dishes  that  are  good  for  supper. 

Lesson  ii 

other  supper  dishes 

A  SALAD  is  a  palatable  supper  dish.  What  is  the  best  way  to 
make  tea .? 

Marjorie  Allen  often  makes  a  potato  salad,  one  of 
her  father's  favorite  dishes,  and  varies  it  by  using  other 
cold  vegetables  and  adding  cold  meat  or  fowl. 

What  is  a  salad  ^  The  word  "  salad  "  is  supposed  to  be 
derived  from  the  Latin  '"sal,"  salt.  We  use  the  term 
for  a  dish  that  gives  relish  to  a  meal  by  the  crispness  of 
fresh  lettuce,  celery,  a  shredded  cabbage,  or  some  other 
green  vegetable.  These  may  be  combined  with  cold 
cooked  vegetables,  meat,  fish,  shellfish,  fresh  fruit,  or 
nuts,  and  served  with  a  dressing.  Lettuce  eaten  with 
lemon  juice  or  vinegar  and  sugar  is  a  simple  old- 
fashioned  salad.  Some  people  enjoy  the  lettuce  dressed 
with  olive  oil,  vinegar,  salt,  and  pepper.  A  cooked 
dressing  made  with  butter  or  cream  is  relished  by  those 
who  do  not  like  the  flavor  of  olive  oil. 

Green  vegetables  should  be  freshened  in  cold  water, 
dried  by  shaking  in  a  towel,  and  cooled.  Cooked  vege- 
tables and  meats  should  be  cut  in  small  pieces,  and 
chilled.  Fruit  should  be  kept  on  ice  and  prepared  just 
before  serving. 


88                         FOOD  AND 

HEALTH 

Potato  salad. 

What  and  how  much. 

Potato  cubes 

I  pint 

Minced  parsley 

I  tablespoonful 

Chopped  onion 

i  teaspoonful 

Salt 

Pepper 

Dressing  to  moisten 

Courtesy  0/  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 
Fig.  42.  —  Potato  salad. 


For  variety  add  one  of  the  following  to  the  potatoes : 
Minced  ham 
Nuts,  cut  fine 


i  cup 
i  cup 
Cucumbers,  sliced  or  cubed  J  cup 


Celery,  in  J  in.  lengths 

Boiled  dressing. 

What  and  how  much. 
Eggs 
Mustard 
Salt 
Sugar 


cup 


\  teaspoonful 
J  teaspoonful 
J  teaspoonful 


THE  HOME  SUPPER 


89 


Vinegar  or  lemon  juice 

3  teaspoonfuls 

Hot  water 

icup 

Butter 

I  tablespoonful 

A  few  grains  of  cayenne 

How  to  make.  Mix  the  dry  materials  and  beat  with  the 
eggs  until  light.  Add  the  vinegar  and  water  and  cook  in  a 
double  boiler,  stirring  constantly  until  thick  and  smooth. 
Remove  from  the  fire,  stir  in  the  butter,  and  set  away  to 
cool. 


Courtesy  of  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  L'niversuy. 

Fig.  43.  — Tomato  jelly  salad. 


Tomato  jelly  salad. 

What  and  how  much. 
Tomato  pulp 

(cooked  and  strained) 
Water 
Gelatin 
Salt,  pepper,  and  sugar  to  taste. 


2  cups 

2  tablespoonfuls 

i^  tablespoonfuls 


For  method  of  making,  see  recipe  for  gelatin  on  page  237. 
Serve  with  boiled  or  cream  dressing. 


90  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

Whipped  cream  dressing. 

What  and  how  much. 

Thick  cream,  sweet  or  sour  J  cup 

Vinegar  2  tablespoonfuls  or  less 

Salt  \  tablespoonful 

Sugar  i  tablespoonful 
White  pepper 

How  to  make.  Beat  cream  stiff  with  Dover  beater;  add 
salt,  sugar,  pepper,  and  vinegar  very  slowly,  still  beating. 
Serve  with  fresh  cabbage  and  garnish  the  salad  with  slices 
of  green  pepper.  This  dressing  may  be  used  with  any  other 
salad. 

How  to  make  tea.  There  are  very  few  families  who 
do  not  require  tea.  We  need  to  learn  to  make  it  well, 
although  only  the  grown  people  should  drink  it. 

Is  it  not  curious  that  among  the  thousands  of  plants 
in  the  world,  the  human  race  has  found  only  a  few  to 
use  for  making  a  beverage  '^.  Tea  has  been  used  in 
China  for  hundreds  of  years  ;  and  the  tea  plant  grows  well 
there,  and  in  Japan,  India,  and  Ceylon.  You  may 
have  heard  of  one  plantation  in  South  Carolina  where 
very  good  flavored  tea  is  grown  ;  but  the  climate  and 
soil  of  these  other  countries  seem  best  to  suit  the  tea 
plant.  The  leaves  are  gathered,  dried,  and  rolled.  The 
color  and  flavor  of  the  tea  depend  upon  the  age  of  the 
leaf  and  the  way  in  which  it  is  dried,  as  well  as  upon 
the  soil  and  climate. 

Your  family  has  some  particular  liking  for  some  one 
kind  of  tea, — Oolong,  a  Chinese  tea,  Japan  tea,  Ceylon, 
or  India,  these  latter  having  several  "  fancy  "  names. 


THE  HOME  SUPPER  91 

Perhaps  you  use  a  "  mixed  "  tea,  which  means  a  mixture 
of  green  and  black  tea,  probably  Chinese  varieties. 

What  does  tea  contain  ?  All  these  teas  contain 
*'  theine,"  which  is  the  substance  that  acts  upon  the 
nerves,  making  some  people  feel  cornfortable,  bright, 
and  talkative,  and  keeping  others  awake.  But  it  is 
another  substance  in  tea,  tannin  or  tannic  acid,  which 
is  bad  for  the  digestion.  The  longer  tea  stands,  espe- 
cially if  it  boils,  the  more  of  this  substance  is  taken  out 
by  the  water.  Miss  James  told  the  class  that  when 
one  sees  the  teapot  on  the  back  of  the  stove  all  day,  and 
somebody  drinking  tea  from  the  pot,  then  somewhere 
in  the  house  one  will  find  a  bottle  of  medicine  for  indi- 
gestion !  It  is  better,  too,  to  take  tea  at  a  meal  when 
there  is  little  or  no  meat.  When  Agnes  Groves  repeated 
this  at  home,  her  aunt,  who  was  a  great  tea  drinker 
and  liked  strong  tea  thoroughly  boiled,  said  that  she 
would  like  to  have  Agnes  prepare  tea  correctly.  The 
doctor  had  tpld  her  that  she  drank  it  too  often  and  too 
strong.  So  Agnes  made  the  tea  for  supper  that  night, 
explaining  that  if  the  water  is  poured  on  when  it  is  boil- 
ing, and  is  allowed  to  stand  upon  the  leaves  only  a  few 
minutes,  the  flavor  is  drawn  out,  but  much  less  of  the 
tannin.     Never  boil  the  tea  leaves  in  the  water. 

Making  tea. 

How  much.     I  teaspoonful  tea  for  each  person,  and  i  for 
the  pot ;    and  about  i  cup  of  water  to  each  teaspoonful  of  tea. 
Utensils.     An  earthen  pot,  measuring  cup,  teaspoon,  strainer. 
Sometimes  a  tea  ball  or  piece  of  cheesecloth. 


92  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

How  to  make.  Measure  the  water  and  bring  it  to  the  boiling 
point.  Heat  the  tea  sHghtly  in  the  pot,  pour  on  the  water 
rapidly,  allow  to  stand  three  to  five  minutes,  strain  into  a 
heated  pot  for  serving.  If  there  is  an  astringent  flavor,  the 
tea  has  stood  too  long. 

Where  tea  is  to  be  served  in  very  large  quantities,  this 
method  is  convenient :  Make  a  small  quantity  of  very  strong 
tea,  pour  it  off  the  leaves,  and  add  boiling  water  when  it  is 
served. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  What  is  the  most  important  thing  to  remember  in  making 
tea  ? 

2.  Why  should  young  people  avoid  tea  drinking  ? 

3.  Make  a  list  of  materials  that  can  be  put  into  a  salad. 

4.  Study  a  cook  book  for  other  salad  recipes. 

5.  Make  a  recipe  for  using  sour-milk  cheese  in  a  salad.  How 
could  you  make  this  a  very  pretty  dish?  Can  you  "guess"  why 
Marjorie  Allen  calls  this  "bird's  egg  salad"  .? 

Lesson   12 
the  canning  of  fruit  and  vegetables 

We  may  have  fresh  fruit  and  berries  and  sometimes  vegetables 
for  supper  in  summer  and  autumn ;  but  in  winter  and  spring  we 
depend  upon  canned  and  dried  foods.  What  preserving  can  a 
girl  do  at  home  and  at  school  ^ 

An  old-fashioned  economy  is  storing  away  food  when 
it  is  plenty  for  time  of  need.  We  have  read  of  the  early 
days  in  our  own  country,  when  the  first  settlers  dried 
corn,  apples,  berries,  salted  codfish,  smoked  or  salted 
beef,  and  made  fruit  preserves  and  pickles.     Some  of 


93 


94  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

you  may  have  seen  the  old  "  smokehouse,"  or  perhaps 
some  one  has  pointed  out  to  you  the  hooks  in  the  beams 
of  some  old  kitchen  where  food  was  hung  to  dry.  You 
are  fortunate  if  the  smokehouse  is  still  in  use  on  your 
home  farm. 

Nowadays  we  have  many  conveniences  for  canning 
and  preserving ;  and  our  canneries  all  through  the 
United  States  preserve  many  kinds  of  food  in  tins  and 
glass.  This  industry  still  has  a  place  in  the  home ; 
and,  as  there  are  many  fruits  and  vegetables  to  be  pre- 
served in  the  autumn,  some  of  the  first  cooking  lessons 
at  the  Pleasant  Valley  School  were  canning  lessons. 

A  word  about  canning  clubs.  Mollie  Stark  had  read 
in  the  local  paper  an  account  of  a  girls'  canning  club, 
and  asked  Miss  Travers  how  such  a  club  could  be 
formed.  You  yourself  can  find  out  all  about  it  in  the 
pamphlets  mentioned  on  page  296. 

In  the  meantime,  if  it  is  not  best  to  have  a  club  in 
your  own  neighborhood,  you  all  want  to  know  how  to 
preserve  food  for  home  use.  And  any  businesslike  girl 
can  earn  a  little  money  by  selling  her  products  near 
home,  if  she  will  take  the  trouble. 

Why  does  food  spoil  ^  Have  you  ever  wondered  why 
so  many  kinds  of  food  spoil  so  easily,  except  a  few  that 
are  dry  like  flour  and  meal  and  cereals  ;  and  even  these 
sometimes  have  insects  in  them,  or  become  musty  ^ 
Recall  what  you  have  seen :  the  mold  on  fruit  and  on 
preserves  or  jelly  ;  the  ''  working  "  of  canned  fruit  which 
we  have  already  learned  is  caused  by  the  presence  of 


THE   HOME   SUPPER 


95 


yeast.     Not  only  do  the  molds  and  yeast    cause   the 
spoiling,  but  so  do  the  still  tinier  organisms  known  as 


Buchanan's  Household  Bacteriology. 
Fig.  45.  —  Three  species  of  mold  as  seen  under  a  powerful  microscope. 

bacteria.  Do  not  allow  these  pictures  (Figs.  45  and 
46)  to  deceive  you.  One  of  these  cells  may  be  only 
25000  of  an  inch  in  length,  and  some  of  the  larger  ^ o\) 0 ♦ 

A 

Buchanan's  Household  Bacteriology. 

Fig.  46.  —  The  four  types  of  bacterial  cells  as  seen  under  a  powerful  microscope. 
A,  cocci;  B,  bacilli;  C,  spirilla;  D,  branched  filamentous  organism. 

It  is  beyond  our  power  to  imagine  them.  How  wonder- 
ful it  is  that  we  can  actually  see  them  through  a  micro- 
scope.   Sometimes  one,  sometimes  all  three  together,  — 


96  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

molds,  yeast,  and  bacteria,  —  make  all  our  trouble. 
How  curious  it  is  that  because  of  them  we  have  canner- 
ies and  spend  so  much  time  and  money  in  fighting  them 
away  from  our  food  ! 

How  do  we  fight  them  ?     By  killing  them  and  by 
keeping  them  out  of  the  food.     How  do  we  kill  them  ? 


Courtesy  of  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 

Fig.  47.  —  Pint  jars  as  well  as  quart  jars,  and  jars  with  large  mouths,  are  con- 
venient for  canning. 

By  boiling  at  temperature  100°  Centigrade,  or  212° 
Fahrenheit.  And  how  do  we  keep  them  out }  By 
sealing  cans,  by  covering  glasses,  and  in  another  way. 
Why  is  it  that  dried,  and  salted,  and  smoked,  and  sug- 
ared food,  like  candied  fruit  and  vinegar  pickles,  keep  ^ 
The  tiny  cells  cannot  live  without  moisture,  and  that 
accounts   for   drying   as  one  way  of  preserving ;    and 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  97 

they  cannot  live  where  the  substances  just  named  are 
found,  and,  therefore,  we  put  these  materials  into  the 
food.  Perhaps  you  can  think  of  some  other  materials 
in  addition  to  these.  Sometimes  chemicals  are  used  to 
preserve  food,  but  when  any  proves  harmful,  this  will 
be  controlled  by  pure  food  laws. 

While  the  yeast  cell  flourishes  in  sugar,  a  large  amount 
prevents  its  growth.  The  action  of  yeast  is  called  fer- 
mentation. While  alcohol  and  vinegar  result  from  fer- 
mentation, they  both,  when  strong  enough,  prevent 
the  growth  of  the  tiny  living  cells  that  cause  fermenta- 
tion and  decay. 

Preserving  fruits.  Notice  the  picture  (Fig.  47)  of  jars 
and  glasses  for  home  use.  Jars  with  large  mouths  are 
convenient,  for  large  fruit  or  ears  of  corn  can  easily 
be  put  in  and  taken  out.  It  is  a  good  plan  to  use  some 
pint  jars,  unless  the  family  can  eat  a  quart  of  stewed 
fruit  at  one  meal. 

Apparatus. 

Scales 

Quart  measure 

A  preserving  kettle  of  good  enamel  ware 

Plated  knives 

Large  spoon  of  enamel  or  wood 

Tablespoon  and  table  fork 

Pint  and  quart  cans  with  glass  tops  fastened  by  springs 

New  rubber  rings 

Jelly  glasses  with  covers 

Cloth  jelly  bag 

Stick  on  which  to  hang  the  bag 


98 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Large  bowl 

Boiler,  in  which  to  stand  the  cans 

A  funnel 

A  dipper 

Old  towels,  or  cheap  cloths 

Saucer  and  spoon  for  testing 

Directions  for  work. 

Thoroughly  wash  all 
the  utensils  just  before 
using.  Sterilize  the 
cans  and  glasses  by- 
placing  them  in  a  large 
kettle  or  boiler  on  the 
stove,  covering  them 
with  cold  water,  and 
allowing  the  water  to 
reach  the  boiling  point 
and  to  boil  for  half  an 
hour.  Covers  and  rub- 
ber rings  should  be 
treated  in  the  same  way. 

Prepare  the  fruit  by 
careful  washing,  picking 
over,  paring,  and  cutting. 

The  skins  may  be 
loosened  on  peaches  and 
tomatoes  by  pouring  hot 
water  over  them. 

Weigh  both  fruit  and 
sugar,  or  measure  if  no 
scales  are  available. 
See  that  the  cooking  apparatus  is  in  good  order,  that  the 
proper  heat  may  be  continued. 


Courte>iy  of  Mew  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at 
Cornell  University. 

Fig.  48.  —  A  steam  cooker  may  be  a  part 
of  the  canning  apparatus. 


THE  HOME  SUPPER 


99 


Avoid  rapid  boiling  of  the  fruit. 

Place  the  cans,  when  they  are  to  be  filled  with  hot  fruit, 
upon  a  towel  wet  in  very  hot  wa- 
ter or  in  a  pan  holding  an  inch  or 
so  of  hot  water.     Never  hold  the 
can  or  glass  in  the  hand. 

Use  a  dipper  for  putting  cooked 
fruit  into  the  can.  A  funnel  is 
useful  placed  in  the  mouth  of  the 
jar. 

Put  whole  fruit  and  halves  com- 
pactly in  the  jar,  using  tablespoon 
and  fork,  or  two  tablespoons.  It 
requires  practice  to  do  this  well. 

See  that  all  air  bubbles  are  re- 
moved, and  fill  the  cans  to  overflowing,  before  putting  on  the 
glass  tops  and  fastening  on  the  spring.     Wipe  oflP  the   jars 


^      1 

/./ 

^^         1 

/ 

,  ^ 

i71 

^5v\ 

1  ' '                                          \, 

^ 

fl 

^z- 

\\\ 

11 

ySf/^      1 

'-^lh 

^  'i 

Courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of 
Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 

Fig.  49. — A  sterilizer  with  a 
rack  may  be  used  for  steriliz- 
ing cans  and  glasses. 


Courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 
Fig.  50.  —  Spring  top  jar.     Position  of  spring  dur-       Position  of  spring  after 

ing  cooking.  cooking. 

carefully,  and  stand  them  on  their  tops  for  a  day  in  order  to 
test  the  tightness  of  the  rubbers  and  the  fastening. 

After  filling  jelly  glasses,  set  them  at  one  side,  and  cover 
them  all  with  a  piece  of  cheesecloth  until  the  jelly  becomes 
firm.  Then  pour  melted  paraffin  upon  the  jelly  in  each  glass, 
and  when  the  paraffin  is  cooled,  put  the  covers  on  firmly. 

Label  the  jars  with  the  name  of  the  fruit  and  the  date. 


lOO 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Canning. 

Method  I.     (Material  cooked  before.it  is  put  into  the  can.) 
This  is  a  good  method  for  berries,  and  for  fruit  that  will  be 
served  as  a  sauce.     Proceed  in  the  preparation  and  finishing 
according    to    the   general    directions. 
Cook  the  fruit  gently  for  half  an  hour. 
Use    as   little  water   as    possible.     No 
sugar  is  required  in  the  canning  pro- 
cess, but  the  flavor  is  better  if  a  small 
amount  is  used  in  the  beginning  —  a 
half  cup  of  sugar  to  a  pound  of  fruit  is 
enough. 

Method  2.  (Material  cooked  in  the 
can.)  This  is  the  better  method  for 
whole  fruit  and  halves.  Select  firm, 
well-shaped  fruit  for  this  method,  re- 
jecting the  mellow  and  soft  fruit.  Pack 
the  cans  tightly  with  the  fruit,  and  pour 
in  hot  water  with  sugar  dissolved  in  it, 
a  half  cup  to  the  quart  can.  More 
sugar  can  be  used,  if  so  desired.  Set 
the  jars  in  a  boiler  on  a  rack,  and 
surround     them     with     warm     water, 

to  a  height  that  will    not   allow  the  water  to  boil  into  the 
cans. 

Set  the  cover  on  each  jar,  but  do  not  fasten  them.  Cover 
the  boiler  closely,  bring  the  water  to  a  boil,  and  allow  it  to 
boil  for  an  hour.  At  the  end  of  this  time,  with  a  fork  test 
the  fruit  for  tenderness ;  pour  in  more  sirup  if  it  is  necessary. 
Remove  the  jars  when  the  water  has  cooled  sufficiently,  and 
adjust  the  covers.  Cold  water  is  sometimes  used  at  the  be- 
ginning, but  this  makes  the  process  longer. 

Apparatus  is  constructed  for  this  method  of  canning,  but 
the  ordinary  boiler  answers  the  purpose. 


Courtesy  of  New  York  State 
College  of  Agricidture  at  Cor- 
nell University. 

Fig.  51. — Testing  the 
tightness  of  the  rubbers 
and  the  fastenings,  af- 
ter the  jars  have  been 
filled  and  have  stood  on 
their  tops  for  a  day. 


THE  HOME   SITFPER    i;.'...-. ;......  loi 

Preserving. 

(A  good  method  for  peaches,  apricots,  and  quinces.)  Select 
firm  and  handsome  fruit  and  prepare  it  carefully.  Allow  a 
pound  of  sugar  to  a  pound  of  fruit.  (What  is  the  measure  of  a 
pound  of  sugar .?)  Place  enough  water  in  the  kettle  to  cover 
the  fruit,  dissolve  the  sugar  in  the  water,  put  the  fruit  into  the 
kettle,  and  cook  very  gently  until  the  fruit  becomes  a  clear 
color.  Rapid  boiling  spoils  the  shape  of  the  fruit.  Do  not 
stir  at  all,  but  skim  off  any  scum  that  rises  to  the  top.  When 
the  fruit  is  done,  put  it  with  great  care  into  the  jars.  If  the 
sirup  is  thin,  boil  it  down  for  a  short  time,  and  then  fill  the  jar. 
-   Close  the  jar  as  in  canning. 

Making  jam  and  fruit  butter. 

This  is  economical  and  very  easy.  It  is  nothing  more  than 
a  fruit  sauce,  with  a  larger  amount  of  sugar  than  usual  to 
preserve  it. 

Soft  and  somewhat  imperfect  fruit  may  be  used.  For  jam 
proper  allow  a  pint  of  sugar  to  a  pound  of  fruit.  Cook  the 
fruit  with  enough  water  to  prevent  its  sticking  to  the  kettle, 
using  as  little  as  possible. 

Mash  the  fruit  by  stirring  it  once  in  a  while  as  it  cooks. 
When  the  fruit  is  soft,  add  the  sugar,  stir  thoroughly,  and  cook 
gently  for  about  five  minutes.  Test  by  cooling  a  spoonful  on  a 
saucer.  The  jam  should  thicken  slightly.  When  ready, 
pour  it  into  jelly  glasses,  or  somewhat  larger  earthen  jars  — 
"jam  pots."     Seal,  as  directed  for  jelly. 

The  fruit  butter  is  even  more  like  fruit  sauce  than  is  the  jam, 
for  it  is  softer  than  jam  and  contains  less  sugar.  A  cup  or 
only  a  half  cup  of  sugar  to  the  pound  of  fruit  is  enough.  Pro- 
ceed exactly  as  in  jam  making. 

Apple  butter  may  be  flavored  with  spices  and  with  ginger  root 
and  lemon  juice.  Quinces  or  a  slice  of  pineapple  may  be 
cooked  with  the  apples. 


I02;  J  ,'i .;:  ,'^;:rH   FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Jelly  making. 

Fruit  contains  a  substance  known  as  pectin,  one  of  the  car- 
bohydrates, that  jellies  the  fruit  juice  when  the  water  in  the 
juice  is  partially  evaporated.  Sugar  helps  in  jellying,  but  no 
amount  of  sugar  will  set  the  jelly  if  there  is  no  pectin.  Some 
fruits  have  more  than  others,  and  also  more  when  not  overripe. 
Currants  and  firm  apples  are  good  jelly  makers,  and  can  be 
mixed  with  other  fruits  that  do  not  jelly  well.  Mellow  sum- 
mer apples  do  not  set  well,  but  crab  apples  do.  Some  one  is 
experimenting  with  the  use  of  the  white  layer  of  orange  peel 
cooked  with  the  fruit  to  help  the  setting  of  the  jelly,  and  it 
seems  to  be  working  well.     (See  recipes  on  page  302.) 

There  is  another  step  in  this  process,  the  straining  out  of  the 
juice  from  the  pulp.  For  this,  prepare  a  jelly  bag  from  firm 
cotton  cloth  which  has  been  boiled  and  washed.  This  bag 
must  be  hung  in  such  a  way  that  the  juice  drops  from  the  point 
of  the  bag  into  a  bowl  below.  It  may  be  hung  upon  a  stick 
between  two  chairs,  or  upon  the  rod  of  a  strong  towel  rack 
over  a  table. 

I.  Apple  jelly.  Select  tart,  red-skinned  apples,  cut  them  in 
small  pieces  with  the  skins  on,  retain  the  cores,  and  put  them  in 
a  kettle  with  cold  water  barely  to  cover.  When  thoroughly 
cooked  and  mashed,  put  this  pulp  into  the  jelly  bag,  and  allow 
the  juice  to  drip  as  long  as  it  will.  Do  not  squeeze  the  bag, 
nor  stir  the  pulp,  if  you  wish  clear  jelly.  This  dripping  process 
is  a  matter  of  hours,  and  in  the  home  kitchen  may  continue  all 
night.  Allow  a  pint  of  sugar  or  less  to  a  pint  of  juice.  Return 
the  juice  to  the  kettle,  and  allow  it  to  simmer  for  twenty-five 
minutes  or  half  an  hour,  skimming  when  necessary.  In  the 
meantime,  heat  the  sugar,  being  careful  not  to  melt  or  burn  it. 
Stir  the  sugar  gently  into  the  juice,  and  boil  five  minutes. 
Test  a  little  upon  a  saucer.  It  should  show  signs  of  jellying 
as  it  cools.  Boil  longer,  if  necessary.  Finish  as  directed. 
Jelly  often  does  not  set  until  twenty-four  hours  have  elapsed. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER 


103 


2.  Currant  jelly.  The  method  is  the  same  as  with  apple 
jelly.  It  is  not  necessary  to  remove  the  currants  from  the 
stem.  Heat  just  long  enough  before  the  straining  to  make  the 
juices  flow  well.  It  seems  odd  that  white  currants  should 
make  a  red  jelly. ^ 

Very  agreeable  flavors  are  secured  by  the  combining  of  two 
or  more  fruits  in  a  jelly, — quince  and  pineapple  with  apple, — 
a  leaf  of  rose  geranium  or  lemon  verbena  in  a  glass  of  apple 
jelly,  —  raspberry  with  currant.  White  apple  jelly  may  be 
flavored  with  mint  leaves,  and  used  in  place  of  mint  sauce  with 
meat. 

3.  Blueberry  jelly.  Mention  should  be  made  of  blueberry 
jelly  —  certainly  not  a  common  jelly.  Examination  of  the 
blueberry  shows  a  pulp  rich  in  pectin.  Although  the  juice 
is  fairly  sweet  to  taste,  yet  it  is  sufficiently  acid  to  yield  jelly 
of  good  firmness  even  when  the  proportion  of  sugar  to  juice  is 
1:1.  With  this  proportion  of  sugar,  the  total  time  of  making 
the  jelly  need  not  exceed  10  minutes. 

The  blueberry  as  a  jelly  fruit  seems  quite  equal  to  the  currant, 
with  this  diff^erence  in  the  jellies  :  although  each  is  delicious, 
currant  jelly  is  tart  to  the  taste,  while  blueberry  jelly  is  sweet. 
Hence,  they  may  be  used  for  diflPerent  purposes  in  the  menu. 

Pickling. 

Pickles  are  not  desirable  in  the  diet.     If  acid  is  craved,  it  is 
much  wiser  to  secure  it  from  fresh  fruits  and  from  lemon  juice. 
If  a  relish  is  wanted,  here  is  a  simple  one : 

Chili  sauce. 

What  and  how  much. 

Tomatoes  12,  medium-sized  and  ripe 

Green  pepper  i,  finely  chopped 

Vinegar  2  cups 

^  Adapted  from  Principles  of  Jelly  Makings  Cornell  Reading  Course, 
N.  E.  Goldwaithe. 


I04  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Sugar 

3  tablespoonfuls 

Salt 

I  tablespoonful 

Clove 

2  teaspoonfuls 

Cinnamon 

2  teaspoonfuls 

Allspice 

2  teaspoonfuls 

Nutmeg 

2  teaspoonfuls 

How  to  make.  Peel  tomatoes  and  slice  into  a  preserving 
kettle.  Add  other  ingredients  and  heat  to  the  boiling  point. 
Cook  slowly  two  and  one  half  hours.  Pour  into  preserve  jars 
and  seal. 

Tomato  catsup. 

Select  only  ripe  tomatoes  for  catsup,  wash  but  do  not  peel, 
cut  out  green  cores  and  bad  places,  quarter,  measure,  and  place 
in  open-top,  porcelain-lined  or  agate  vessel  over  stove.  For 
every  gallon  of  tomatoes  add  i  level  cup  of  finely  chopped 
onion.  Boil  until  both  tomato  and  onion  are  soft.  Strain 
juice  and  pulp  through  a  coarse  wire  sieve,  mashing  through 
all  the  pulp  possible.  Measure  this  strained  pulp  and  juice, 
and  proceed  as  in  the  following  recipe : 

2  gallons  strained  mixture  tomatoes  and  onions 
2|  level  teaspoonfuls  ground  cloves 

3  level  teaspoonfuls  ground  ginger 

2  level  teaspoonfuls  ground  red  pepper 

3  level  teaspoonfuls  ground  cinnamon 
2  level  tablespoonfuls  ground  allspice 

I  level  tablespoonful  ground  black  pepper 
ij  level  cups  {\  pint  cups)  sugar 
f  level  cup  {\  pint  cups)  salt 
I  quart  vinegar 

Place  strained  tomatoes  in  agate  vessel ;  add  spices,  sugar, 
and  salt;  boil  until  thick;  then  add  hot  vinegar  slowly  and 
let  boil  30  minutes  before  beginning  to  bottle  mixture. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER 


105 


Use  clear,  flint,  loounce  grape-juice  bottle.  Wash  well  with 
soda  and  place  in  vessel  of  hot  water  until  you  are  ready  to 
use.  It  is  best  to  put  wooden  slats  in  the  bottom  of  vessel ; 
place  the  bottles  filled  with  water  thereon ;  and  let  come  to  a 
boil,  thus  sterilizing.  Pour  out  water.  Fill  hot  bottles  with 
boiling  catsup  ;  cork  tightly. 

The  measures  for  all  recipes  must  be  taken  level.  Scrape 
oflP  spoons  with  a  knife,  patting  and  scraping  until  measure  is 
level.  These  have  been  taken  accurately,  and  you  should  get 
good  results  if  directions  are  followed. 

A  good  catsup  can  be  made  in  winter  by  using  five  cans  of 
club  tomatoes,  i  cup  of  chopped  onions,  and  half  the  quan- 
tity of  all  other  ingredients  mentioned  in  the  above  recipe.^ 

Why  should  we  dry  fruit  and  vegetables  t  This  is 
an  old-time  method,  and  still  a  good  one.  It  is  easy ; 
a  little  can  be  done  at  a  time  ;  the  dried  food  keeps  well 
in  a  dry  place,  and  has  a  good  flavor. 

Dry  pitted  cherries  on  a  plate,  near  the  fire  or  in  the 
oven  when  the  fire  is  going  out.  Do  berries  in  this 
way,  too. 

Sliced  apples  can  be  dried  in  the  sun,  covered  with 
netting  or  wire  screening  to  keep  out  flies. 

Many  people  do  not  know  that  dried  sweet  corn  is 
quite  as  good  as  or  better  than  canned  corn.  Cut  off 
the  kernels  from  the  cob  and  dry,  while  the  sweet  corn 
is  quite  tender.  In  the  winter  make  "  succotash,"  the 
Indian  name  for  "corn  and  beans/'  or  "beans  and  corn." 

More    about   the    canning    clubs.      Here    are    some 

1  Courtesy  of  Mrs.  Jane  S.  McKimmon,  State  Agent  in  Home  Demon- 
stration Work,  North  Carolina. 


io6 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


recipes  for  canning  vegetables,  used  in  the  club  work. 
Vegetables  need  longer  cooking  than  fruit ;  and  it  is  a 
good  plan  to  cook  them  for  two  or  three  days  in  succes- 
sion, two  or  three  hours  at  a  time. 

The  picture  (Fig.  44)  shows  a  large  canner  that  is 
used  out  of  doors.     Even  if  there  is  no  canning  club  in  a 


Courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of  Agri- 
cidture  at  Cornell  University. 

Fig.  52.  —  A   tin    can    may    be 
capped  with  round  capping  steel. 


Courtesy  of  New  Yort  State 
College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell 
University. 

Fig.  53.  —  A  tin  can 
may  also  be  tipped 
with  soldering  iron  and 
solder. 


town,  such  a  canner  is  very  convenient  when  preserving 
for  a  large  family,  and  it  soon  pays  for  the  first  cost. 

Some  one  asked  Miss  Travers  whether  it  paid  to  can. 
Would  it  not  be  better  to  buy  canned  goods  ?  Her 
answer  was  that  where  there  is  a  plenty  of  fruit  and  vege- 
tables on  the  place,  it  costs  less  money  to  can.  When 
you  have  learned  how,  the  labor  is  not  too  great. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  107 

Canning  vegetables.^ 

To  can  string  beans  select  beans  that  are  young  and  tender, 
and  have  few  strings.  The  Green  Pod  Stringless  is  a  good 
variety.  The  trade  Hkes  a  green  bean  about  the  size  of  a  rat  tail. 
Indeed,  canners  sometimes  designate  them  as  rat-tail  beans. 
And  if  you  pull  it  when  it  is  young  and  tender  enough  and  re- 
move every  vestige  of  string,  there  is  no  doubt  of  a  market. 
Snap  the  bean  at  both  ends,  string,  and  put  in  the  wire  basket 
of  your  canner  or  in  a  thin  cotton  bag,  and  plunge  in  boiling 
water  for  5  minutes.  This  removes  certain  acids  and  makes 
the  flavor  of  your  beans  better.  Never  forget  this  when  can- 
ning beans.  Remove  after  the  given  time,  pack  tightly  in 
sterilized  cans  within  J  inch  of  top,  and  fill  with  hot  water. 
Add  I  level  teaspoonful  of  salt,  seal,  exhaust  for  5  minutes,  tip, 
and  return  to  the  canner  for  i  hour's  boiling. 

For  No.  10  cans  use  i  level  tablespoon  of  salt,  exhaust  10 
minutes,  and  boil  2  hours  and  20  minutes.  Turn  cans  over 
once  or  twice  while  processing. 

Corn,  butter  beans,  peas,  squash,  and  some  other  vegetables 
require  three  days'  cooking  and  are  all  best  when  cooked  in 
smaller  cans  and  jars.     No.  2  is  good. 

Select  corn  when^ young  and  very  tender;  cut  from  cob  with 
sharp  knife,  gently  scraping  cob.  Use  sugar  corn  for  canning. 
If  this  cannot  be  procured,  take  field  corn,  but  be  sure  it  is  very 
tender.  Do  not  prepare  any  more  corn  than  you  can  imme- 
diately, as  it  quickly  sours  and  you  may  lose  your  can.  Pack 
in  No.  2  cans  only  —  do  not  use  larger  cans  for  corn  —  to 
within  i  inch  of  top ;  fill  with  cold  water;  add  i  level  teaspoon 
of  salt  and  2  level  teaspoons  of  sugar;  seal  but  do  not  tip; 
allow  it  to  exhaust  15  minutes.  Tip  the  little  hole  with  a 
drop  of  solder;  return  to  the  boiling  water  and  boil  for  i 
hour.     Remove  from  fire  and  set  aside  for  24  hours. 

^  A  timetable  will  be  found  on  page  296. 


io8  FOOD  AND  HEALTH      * 

After  the  water  is  boiling  in  your  canner  the  second  day, 
place  your  cans  in  for  a  second  boiling  i  hour  in  length,  remove, 
set  aside  for  24  hours,  and  boil  again  i  hour  on  the  third  day. 

This  is  the  only  sure  method  of  keeping  corn.  Never  use 
any  acids  or  preserving  powders. 

Butterbeans,  peas,  okra,  and  soup  vegetables  are  canned  in 
the  same  manner.  Add  i  level  teaspoon  of  salt  to  butterbeans, 
peas,  okra,  and  soup ;  and  2  level  teaspoons  of  sugar  to  peas. 

After  a  can  of  fruit  or  vegetables  is  removed  from  the 
canner,  it  should  be  cooled  as  quickly  as  possible. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Examine  mold  through  a  good  magnifying  glass,  and  see 
if  it  looks  at  all  like  the  picture. 

2.  Why  is  a  rubber  ring  used  under  the  cover  of  the  can  ? 

3.  Explain  why  candied  fruit  does  not  spoil. 

4.  Why  do  figs  and  dates  keep  f 

5.  Why  does  the  boiling  temperature  help  to  preserve  food  .? 

6.  Look  up  the  meaning  of  the  word  ''sterilize." 

Lesson  13 

value  of  fruit  in  a  diet 

We  often  think  of  fruit  as  a  pleasant  thing  to  eat ;  but  we  do 
not  realize  that  it  is  a  food  needed  to  keep  the  body  in  health,  and 
that  we  should  use  it  every  day.  In  what  other  ways  may  fruit 
be  prepared  for  serving  ? 

At  one  of  Miss  Travers*  lectures  before  a  Farmers' 
Institute,  one  man  who  owned  a  large  apple  orchard 
and  sold  many  barrels  of  apples,  said  to  her  that  he  had 
thought  people  ate  apples  because  they  liked  them,  and 
that  it  was  news  to  him  that  fruit  is  food. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  109 

Indeed,  we  do  like  fruit,  and  we  may  be  glad  that  so 
many  kinds  grow  in  our  own  country.  When  the  early 
settlers  began  to  clear  and  burn  over  the  land,  how 
happy  they  must  have  been  to  find  blueberries  and 
huckleberries  and  blackberries  growing  wild  for  them  to 
gather  !  What  do  you  suppose  the  children  said  when 
they  saw  their  first  wild  strawberries  and  checkerberries 
in  the  new  land  ?  They  found,  too,  the  cranberries  in 
the  bogs  and  the  wild  red  plum  on  the  sandy  beaches  of 
the  coast.  Perhaps  in  your  own  home  country,  wild 
fruit  grows  now  for  you  to  gather. 

Have  you  ever  heard  of  Johnny  Appleseed  .?  He 
traveled  through  the  forests  and  over  the  plains,  so  the 
story  goes,  planting  apple  seeds  wherever  he  went,  and 
warning  the  settlements  of  the  coming  of  unfriendly 
Indians.  Many  people  who  never  heard  his  name  have 
wondered,  perhaps,  at  finding  apple  trees  in  unexpected 
places.  Do  you  know  what  the  word  "benefactor" 
means  ?  —  A  blessing  maker.  Do  you  not  think  that 
Johnny  Appleseed  was  a  benefactor .? 

Planting  fruit  trees.  You  are  all  benefactors  if  you 
celebrate  Arbor  Day,  as  they  do  at  the  Pleasant  Valley 
School,  by  setting  out  a  shade  tree  somewhere  near  the 
schoolhouse  every  year.  But  let  us  have  more  than  one 
tree  day,  and  set  out  fruit  bushes  and  trees  for  home  use. 
They  do  not  cost  very  much  ;  and  there  are  pamphlets 
and  books  that  tell  you  what  kinds  to  buy,  and  how  to 
set  them  out  and  care  for  them.  The  ground  can  be 
enriched  with  wood  ashes  and  with  fertilizer  from  the 


no  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

barn  and  henhouse.  Fruit  trees  and  bushes  will  more 
than  repay  what  they  cost,  on  account  of  the  value  of 
the  fruit  in  the  diet. 

More  about  the  value  of  fruit.  We  have  talked  about 
this  in  the  first  lesson  on  fruit  drinks,  but  it  is  worth 
while  to  study  the  fruit  question  again.  Have  you 
heard  the  rhyme  : 


"An  apple  a  day, 
Keeps  the  doctor 


away"  ? 


This    is   too   much    to   claim    for  one    apple,    but  the 
rhyme   is    worth    remembering   because    it    keeps   the 

importance    of    fruit    before 

APPLE  •      1 

EDIBLE  PORTION  our  mmos. 

What  fruit  contains.     Al- 

Water;84.6.,rrnT*rTniK  though     fruits     are     largely 

made  up  of  water,  they  con- 
tain sugar,  a  very  little  pro- 

Carbohydrates:14.2  '^AshiO.S  ^^-^^^    ^^^  ^^  jj^^j^    ^^^  ^^^^  j^ 

v'aS:  []^??R'po°Nr         is  not  important.     The  min- 
FiG.  54 -The  'composition  of  the  ^ral  matter  is  the  treasure  in 

apple  makes  it  a  valuable  fruit  in    fruit,     including     irOU,     phos- 
the  diet.*  i  i* 

phorus,  lime,  magnesia,  pot- 
ash, in  forms  that  the  body  can  use.  The  fruit  acids, 
especially  in  a  meat  diet,  do  away  with  the  need 
of  medicine.      Fruit  is   so  valuable  in   the  diet   that 

*  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.  Office  of  Experiment 
Stations,  A.  C.  True,  Director.  Chart  prepared  by  C.  F.  Langworthy, 
Expert  in  charge  of  Nutrition  Investigations. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  iii 

you  should  make  Fruit  every  day  one  of  your  home 
mottoes. 

Why  does  fruit  sometimes  disagree  with  us  ?  If  we  eat 
too  much  unripe  fruit  or  if  the  fruit  is  not  fresh,  it  may 
not  agree  with  us.  Cooked  fruit  can  be  taken  by  some 
people  who  cannot  eat  it  raw,  because  the  cooking  softens 
the  fruit  and  kills  bacteria  that  might  cause  some  trouble. 
Cooked  fruit  is  better  for  little  children  than  raw  fruit. 

Fruit  juice  again.  Clear  fruit  juice  squeezed  from  the 
pulp  —  orange  juice,  for  instance  —  is  given  to  very 
young  children,  who  ought  not  to  eat  the  pulp,  and  to 
invalids  sometimes. 

How  shall  we  prepare  fresh  fruit  for  the  table  ? 
Large  fruit  should  be  washed,  pared,  or  peeled  with  clean 
hands.  Slice  it,  sprinkle  with  sugar  just  before  eating, 
and  serve  it  as  cool  as  you  can  make  it.  You  have  used 
bananas,  oranges,  and  peaches  in  this  way.  Try  mellow 
apples  and  pears,  and  serve  with  milk  or  cream  and 
sugar.  Berries  should  be  picked  over  and  washed, 
and  served  in  the  same  way  as  sliced  fruit. 

How  shall  we  cook  fruit  ?  We  have  said  very  little 
as  yet  about  the  effect  of  cooking  on  our  foods.  Com- 
pare a  baked  apple  with  a  raw  apple,  and  describe  the 
changes.  With  your  eye  you  see  a  change  in  color. 
You  can  easily  cut  the  baked  apple  with  a  spoon  ;  but 
you  need  a  knife  for  the  raw  apple.  The  cooking,  then, 
has  softened  the  skin  and  the  fiber  of  the  apple.  Taste 
the  apple.  Even  if  it  has  been  cooked  without  sugar, 
you  will  find  that  it  has  a  new  flavor. 


112  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

The  cooking  of  fruit  on  the  fire  goes  on  with  the  work 
of  the  sun  in  ripening  fruit  on  the  tree.  The  difference 
between  cooked  and  raw  ripe  fruit  is  somewhat  Hke  the 
difference  between  ripe  and  green  fruit.  Can  you  see 
how  ?  Heat  does  work  miracles.  Have  you  ever  heard 
the  true  "  fairy  "  story,  that  all  our  heat  comes  from  the 
sun  ?  So,  when  we  "  bake  "  fruit,  we  are  really  putting 
it  where  it  becomes  a  little  riper  with  the  heat  of  the 
sun,  are  we  not  ? 

One  other  thing  that  the  heat  accomplishes,  we  have 
learned  in  the  lesson  on  canning.  Now  you  can  tell 
quite  a  story  in  your  notebook  about  heat  and  an  apple, 
illustrated  with  the  picture  of  a  fine,  smooth  fruit. 

Stewing  and  baking  fruit.  You  have  seen  apple 
sauce  and  baked  apples  at  home,  and  perhaps  have  pre- 
pared both  yourself.  Miss  James  asked  her  cooking 
class  to  describe  nice  ways  of  cooking  apples  and  other 
fruit  used  at  home,  and  to  see  what  they  could  find  in 
cook  books.     These  are  some  of  the  suggestions. 

Mollie  Stark's  grandmother  told  her  about  cooking 
fruit  slowly  for  a  long  time  in  an  old-fashioned  brick 
oven  (see  Frontispiece),  making  a  clear,  dark  red  apple 
sauce.  "  The  longer  and  the  slower,  the  better,"  she 
said ;  and  MoUie's  grandmother  was  quite  right. 
You  have  not  a  brick  oven,  but  you  can  slice  apples 
into  an  earthen  pot,  add  a  very  little  water  and  sugar, 
cover  and  cook  when  the  fire  is  low.  You  will  find 
the  apple  sauce  delicious. 

One  of  the  girls  described  tart  (slightly  sour)  apples 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  113 

baked  with  the  cores  taken  out,  and  with  sugar  and  a 
tiny  bit  of  butter  and  cinnamon  in  each  hole.  That 
suggested  something  else  to  put  in  the  hole,  —  a  little  jelly 
or  a  few  seeded  raisins.  When  the  apples  are  imperfect, 
cut  them  in  two,  crosswise,  for  baking.  Cut  out  the  core, 
and  in  its  place  put  the  tiny  bit  of  butter  and  sugar  and 
the  spice,  a  raisin  that  has  been  soaked,  or  a  canned 
cherry.  This  is  a  very  pretty  way  to  serve  baked 
apples. 

Marjorie  Allen  reported  that  her  father  was  fond  of 
baked  pears,  cooked  very  slowly  in  the  oven.  Miss 
James  said  that  it  is  best  always  to  use  as  little  water 
as  possible,  and  to  learn  to  like  the  cooked  fruit  with 
only  a  small  amount  of  extra  sugar. 

Cranberry  sauce  or  jelly.  Cranberries  are  delicious 
stewed  with  a  little  sugar ;  but,  if  you  want  a  mold  of 
jelly  for  the  Thanksgiving  dinner,  stew  them  with  a 
little  water,  put  through  a  strainer,  and  heat  the  pulp. 
Add  as  much  sugar  as  you  have  pulp,  cook  until  the 
sugar  is  dissolved,  and  put  in  a  mold  to  cool.  A  few 
cranberries  combine  well  with  other  fruit.  Try  cran- 
berries and  raisins  in  a  pudding,  and  use  a  little  extra 
sugar. 

Barberries.  This  is  an  old-fashioned  fruit  that  few 
people  use  ;  and  yet  its  tart  flavor  is  quite  unlike  any 
other.  If  the  bushes  grow  wild  on  your  farm,  do  not 
let  the  animals  destroy  them,  but  transplant  them  to 
the  garden.  The  berries  can  be  used  in  several  ways. 
They  make  a  delicious  jelly,  and  cooked  with  molasses 


114  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

and  put  away  in  jars  they  afford  a  refreshing  drink 
stirred  into  cold  water  in  the  summer.  Miss  White  of 
Pleasant  Valley  suggests  that  barberries  and  sweet  apples 
make  an  excellent  jam. 

How  can  dried  fruit  be  made  palatable  ^  The  girls 
in  the  cooking  class  were  quite  sure  that  they  could  not 
like  dried  fruit,  prunes  being  the  poorest  of  all.  We  all 
"  change  our  minds,"  which  means  our  opinions,  some- 
times ;  and  so  did  they.  Stewed  figs  are  good  ;  and  so 
are  dates,  cooked  and  spread  on  bread.  Try  dried 
prunes,  peaches,  apples,  apricots,  plums,  and  berries  in 
this  way : 

Directions  for  dried  fruit. 

1.  Wash  the  fruit. 

2.  Soak  it  for  several  hours  —  perhaps  overnight  —  to  replace 
the  water  which  was  dried  out. 

3.  Cook  it  very  slowly  in  a  stew  pan  or  in  a  slow  oven,  for  sev- 
eral hours. 

4.  Use  as  little  water  as  possible  and  only  a  little  sugar. 

5.  If  the  fruit  has  a  "flat"  taste,  add  a  little  lemon  juice,  or  a 
little  cream  of  tartar,  which  is  an  acid,  too. 

6.  Sprinkle  chopped  nuts  on  the  stewed  fruit  for  variety  and  to 
increase  the  food  value. 

Using  canned  fruit.  If  you  buy  fruit  or  vegetables 
in  cans,  look  to  see  if  the  top  is  flat,  for  if  it  bulges,  the 
fruit  is  spoiled.  When  you  use  either  fruit  canned  at 
home  or  bought  from  the  grocery,  let  it  air  in  a  dish  in  a 
clean,  cool  place.  This  will  give  it  a  better  taste  ;  and  it 
improves  it  even  more  to  reheat  it  and  let  it  cool  again. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  115 

Fruit  for  dessert.  Fresh  fruit  and  cooked  fruit  make 
the  best  of  desserts  at  the  end  of  a  hearty  meal,  and  are 
quite  enough  for  supper.  If  you  want  something  more, 
there  are  many  dishes  easy  to  make  with  fruit. 

Apple  scallop,  or  Brown  Betty. 

What  and  how  much. 

Bread  crumbs  and  a  little  butter 

Tart  cooking  apples,  enough  to  fill  a  dish 

Sugar 

Cinnamon 

A  little  water 

How  to  make.  Make  a  layer  of  crumbs  in  a  baking  dish, 
and  on  the  crumbs  put  little  "dabs"  of  butter.  Pare  and 
slice  the  apples  and  place  a  layer  on  the  crumbs.  Sprinkle 
with  sugar,  cinnamon,  and  a  little  water.  Add  a  layer  of 
bread  crumbs  and  another  of  apples.  Flavor  and  cover  the 
top  with  crumbs.  Bake  in  a  moderate  oven  until  the  apples 
are  cooked  and  the  crumbs  are  brown.  Any  fruit,  such 
as  peaches  or  blueberries,  may  be  used  instead  of  apples. 
Serve  hot  with  hard  or  foamy  sauce,  or  cold  with  cream  and 
sugar.  Instead  of  crumbs  the  bread  may  be  used  in  slices, 
buttered. 

Remarks.  Remember  the  other  food  materials  that  were 
used  in  meat  scallop,  and  try  cooked  rice  or  hominy  or  oatmeal 
in  place  of  the  bread.  One  family  calls, the  fruit  scallop  Brown 
Elizabeth  when  it  is  made  with  peaches  or  apricots ;  and  Black 
Betty,  with  blackberries.  Perhaps  you  can  name  some  other 
members  of  this  group.  Stewed  dates,  or  figs,  or  prunes  are 
delicious  with  rice  in  a  fruit  scallop  served  cold.  They  are 
especially  good  with  milk  for  little  children  who  are  beginning 
to  be  given  sweets.     They  need  no  sugar  added. 


ii6  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Foamy  sauce. 

What  and  how  much. 

Butter  2  tablespoonfuls 

Powdered  sugar  i  cup 

Egg  I       . 

Vanilla  i  teaspoonful 

How  to  make.  Cream  the  butter.  Add  gradually  the 
sugar,  the  egg  well  beaten,  and  vanilla.  Beat  while  heating 
over  hot  water.     If  too  thick,  add  a  little  hot  water. 

Fruit  tapioca. 

What  and  how  much. 

Minute  tapioca  J  cup 

Lemon  peel 

Boiling  water  z\  cups 

Salt  I  teaspoonful 

Tart  apples  6 

Sugar  i  cup 

How  to  make.  Cook  the  tapioca  in  the  salt  and  water  until 
it  becomes  transparent.  Core  and  pare  the  apples  and  place 
in  the  bottom  of  the  baking  dish.  Fill  the  cavities  with  sugar 
and  add  a  little  lemon  peel.  Pour  the  tapioca  over  the  apples 
and  bake  in  a  moderate  oven  until  the  apples  are  soft.  Scive 
cold  with  sugar  and  cream. 

Remarks.  This  is  sometimes  called  bird's  nest  pudding. 
Other  fruit  can  be  used.  Prunes,  with  the  stones  out,  are 
very  delicious  in  the  tapioca.  There  are  still  other  ways  for 
using  fruit  in  puddings  and  desserts.  Some  of  these  you  will 
find  mentioned  in  Lesson  25  and  in  all  cook  books. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

I.    Make  a  definition  of  "cooking,"  from  what  has  been  said 
about  the  baked  apple. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  117 

2.  Make  a  list  of  all  the  different  ways  of  cooking  that  you 
know. 

3.  Explain  why  fruit  should  be  eaten  daily. 

4.  Can  you  find  a  very  important  reason  for  cooking  figs  and 
dates .? 

5.  Compare  the  cost  of  a  can  of  peaches  from  the  grocery  with 
home-canned  peaches.     What  must  you  take  into  account  ? 

Lesson  14 
value  of  potatoes  as  food 

Warmed-over  potatoes  are  one  of  the  best  supper  dishes. 
Potatoes,  either  freshly  cooked  or  served  a  second  time,  are  good 
for  any  meal.     How  shall  we  have  potatoes  for  supper  ? 

Americans  are  said  to  have  the  potato  habit.  We  are 
told  sometimes  that  it  might  be  better  to  use  oftener 
in  their  place  some  other  starchy  food,  perhaps  rice  or 
hominy.  These  do  make  a  pleasant  change,  but  if  you 
prefer  potatoes,  you  can  use  them  as  freely  as  you  like  ; 
and  there  are  many  ways  to  prepare  them  to  give  variety. 
In  spite  of  the  fact  that  potatoes  are  attacked  by  insects 
and  by  diseases  which  the  farmer  must  fight  steadily, 
they  are  one  of  our  staple  foods. 

Why  are  potatoes  such  an  important  food  .?  Recall 
to  your  minds  the  substances  in  the  foodstuffs  that  we 
talked  about  finding  in  milk  and  in  bread  made  from 
wheat.  Make  the  list  on  the  blackboard  or  on  paper 
or  in  your  notebook,  and  check  them  as  we  talk  about 
potatoes. 

Study  this  chart  (Fig.  55)  of  a  potato,  and  see  if  you 


ii8  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

understand  it.  The  perpendicular  lines  show  what  a 
large  amount  of  water  the  potato  has.  State  78.3  per 
cent  in  a  common  fraction.  There  is  so  little  of  the  fat 
and  protein  (see  the  dark  lines  toward  the  left)  that  we 
do  not  find  the  worth  of  the  potato  in  these.  Notice 
the  word  "  carbohydrate."  In  per  cent  it  ranks  next 
to  the  water  in  quantity.  This  is  a  word  that  you  will 
understand  when  you  study  chemistry,  but  we  can  learn 

about  it  now  that,  instead  of 
POTATO  saying  starch    and    sugar,  or 

Fato.1--^....2tST^  speaking  of  the  starches  and 

the  sugars,    the  word    carbo- 
hydrate stands  for  both.     You 
Carboh^rateril8T*^Water:78.3  remember   in    the    lesson   on 
Fuel  value:  bread  we   spoke  of  the   fact 

I    [  that    starch    and    sugar    are 

385  CALORIES  PER  POUND  alike,    aud    that   one    can  be 

Fig.  55.  -  Thejom position  of  a    changed  iuto  the  Other.     The 

chemist  has  found  them  so 
much  alike  that  he  uses  this  name  carbohydrate  for 
both.  If  you  wish  to  do  so,  look  in  the  dictionary  and 
see  from  what  other  words  this  one  comes. 

Even  before  you  study  chemistry  you  can  learn  some- 
thing more  about  starch  and  sugar.  Burn  some  sugar 
until  it  becomes  entirely  black.  Taste  this  black  sub- 
stance.    You  think  it  does  not  look  eatable  ^     But  it  is 

^  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.  Office  of  the  Experiment 
Stations,  A.  C.  True,  Director.  Chart  prepared  by  C.  F.  Langworthy, 
Expert  in  charge  of  Nutrition  Investigations. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  119 

what  you  eat  whenever  you  take  sugar  or  starch ;  its 
name  is  **  carbon,"  and  it  is  the  same  substance  that  you 
burn  in  the  coal  in  the  stove.  The  heat  has  driven  off 
the  water  in  the  sugar,  and  left  this  black  carbon  ^  be- 
hind. We  need  the  carbon  for  fuel  in  our  bodies.  We 
can  use  it  when  we  take  it  in  sugar  and  starch,  although, 
as  pure  charcoal  or  carbon,  it  is  useless  to  us  as  a  food. 
Here  are  two  questions  that  Miss  James  asked  her 
class,  and,  in  finding  out  the  answers,  her  pupils  learned 
one  of  the  most  wonderful  of  nature's  true  stories  : 

"  Where  does  the  plant  find  the  carbon  to  make  into 
starch  and  sugar  ?  " 

and 

"  From  what  source  came  the  carbon  of  our  coal  ?  '* 

Here  is  another  way  to  put  the  question.  You  may 
have  heard  your  father  and  his  friends  talking  over  the 
question  of  fertilizers.  If  so,  they  have  spoken  of  nitro- 
gen, phosphorus,  and  potash.  Probably  they  have 
complained  of  their  cost.  How  much  does  your  father 
pay  per  ton  for  the  carbon  for  his  crops  ? 

Energy  for  us  in  the  potato.  The  carbon  is  fuel  for 
us.  It  occurs  in  the  carbohydrates,  starch  and  sugar. 
Starch  and  a  little  sugar  are  in  the  potato  (18  per  cent) ; 
therefore,  the  potato  gives  us  energy.  This  is  one 
value.  Ten  cents'  worth  of  potatoes  at  sixty  cents  per 
bushel  gives  us  more  energy  than  ten  cents'  worth  of 
bread,  even. 

*  See  page  299. 


I20  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

Mineral  value  of  potato.  Look  at  Fig.  55  again.  In 
that  small  space  at  the  left  is  pictured  the  other  prize 
in  the  potato,  the  mineral  matter,  —  the  ash  that  can- 
not be  burned.  There  is  a  high  percentage  of  potassium 
and  calcium,  and  of  phosphorus  and  iron,  also.  These 
the  potato  takes  from  the  soil  and  stores  away  for  the 
young  plants  that  would  grow  from  the  buds.  Our 
bodies  need  mineral  matter,  too. 

So  let  us  keep  on  growing  potatoes,  in  spite  of  Colo- 
rado beetles  and  the  blight  and  scab. 

The  cooking  class  was  very  much  amused  when  Mar- 
jorie  Allen  told  them  what  her  little  sister  said  at  supper 
the  evening  after  they  had  all  studied  the  composition 
of  the  potato.  Little  Alice  looked  at  the  baked  potato 
on  her  plate,  and  said,  "  Which  end  has  the  mineral 
matter  ?  "  She  thought  that  the  chart  of  the  potato 
was  an  exact  picture.  The  little  chart  shows  you  how 
much  mineral  matter  there  would  be,  if  it  were  all  by 
itself  and  not  mixed  with  the  other  substances  in  the 
potato. 

What  is  a  starch  grain  ^  The  illustration  (Fig.  56) 
shows  you  a  slice  of  potato,  magnified,  before  and 
after  cooking.  At  the  left  the  small  bodies  are  the 
starch  grains.  See  how  the  heat  of  the  boiling  tempera- 
ture of  water  changes  their  shape,  unfolding  or  bursting 
them.  The  heat  also  softens  the  fiber  of  the  potato. 
Thus,  with  these  two  changes  made  by  heat,  the  potato 
is  made  more  digestible. 

How  shall  we  cook  our  potatoes  ^     The  answer  to  this 


THE  HOME  SUPPER 


121 


would  make  a  long  list,  and  you  might  begin  to  make 
this  list  by  writing  down  the  ways  that  you  know. 

The  best  way  to  cook  the  potato  is  one  that  keeps  in 
the  mineral  matter.  If  we  pare  the  potato,  we  lose  the 
mineral  matter  near  the  skin,  and  allow  a  further  loss 
as  the  potato  cooks  in  boiling  water.  The  best  ways,  then, 


Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  295,  V.  S.  Dept.  Agriculture. 

Fig.  56.  —  Changes  of  starch  cells  in  cooking :  a,  cells  of  a  raw  potato  with  starch 
grains  in  natural  condition;  b,  cells  of  a  partially  cooked  potato;  c,  cells  of 
a  thoroughly  boiled  potato. 

are  baking,  steaming,  or  boiling  with  the  jackets  on. 
Potatoes  cooked  in  either  of  these  three  ways  can  be 
made  into  other  "tasty"  dishes.  Learn  how  to  boil  a 
potato  well ;    and  serve  it  plain  sometimes. 

New  and  old  potatoes.  Potatoes  are  **  new,"  fully 
ripe,  and  old.  The  new  potato  is  in  market  in  July  and 
August,  and  may  be  known  by  its  very  thin  skin.  The 
later  potatoes  have  a  thicker  skin,  but  the  color  still  is 
fresh.  In  the  spring  after  its  winter  storage,  the  potato 
is  "  old."  It  seems  a  little  less  firm ;  the  color  of  the 
skin  is  somewhat  changed  ;  perhaps,  the  buds  in  the  eyes 
of  the  potato  are  beginning  to  grow.     When  cooked  it 


122 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


has  a  stronger  flavor  and  a  rather  darker  color.  If  the 
potato  has  been  frozen,  it  has.  a  sweet  taste  and  the 
quaHty  is  waxy.  Potatoes  are  sometimes  poor  in  qual- 
ity when  the  season  is  unfavorable,  or  when  some  potato 
disease  is  prevalent. 

1.   Baked  potatoes. 

I.  (The  best  method  for  new  potatoes.)  Select  those  of 
even  size.  When  scrubbed,  place  them  in  a  shallow  pan  or 
upon  the  rack  of  the  oven.  The  oven  should  be  hot.  The 
length  of  time  depends  upon  the  size  of  the  potato ;  forty-five 
minutes  is  the  time  for  medium  size. 


Courtesy  of  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 
Fig.  57.  —  Baked  potatoes,  mashed,  seasoned,  and  returned  to  the  skins. 

Test  by  pressing  firmly,  or  by  sticking  in  a  fork.  When  the 
potato  is  done,  it  feels  soft  to  the  fingers.  If  the  potatoes 
cannot  be  eaten  at  once,  break  the  skin  to  let  out  the  steam, 
cover  with  a  cloth,  and  keep  them  hot. 

Here  is  a  nice  way  to  serve  potatoes.     Cut  them  in  two, 


THE  HOME  SUPPER  123 

lengthwise;  sprinkle  with  salt,  and  add  as  much  butter  as 
one  would  use  at  the  table ;  break  up  the  potato  with  a  fork, 
leaving  it  in  the  skin. 

^Potato  on  the  half  shell  is  one  step  more.  Cut  the  potatoes 
in  two,  lengthwise ;  take  out  the  potato  and  mash  it  with  butter, 
milk,  and  salt;  add  about  a  teaspoonful  of  butter,  a  table- 
spoonful  of  milk,  and  a  shake  or  two  of  salt,  to  each  potato. 
Beat  this  well,  put  back  piled  lightly  in  each  half  shell,  and 
brown  the  tops  slightly.  Sometimes  you  can  put  in  a  little 
chopped  meat.  The  beaten  white  of  an  egg  may  be  added  to 
make  a  potato  puff. 

2.  The  same  as  baked  potatoes,  except  that  the  potatoes 
are  pared  before  baking.  This  is  a  good  method  when  the 
skins  are  poor.  A  brown  crust  is  formed  on  the  potato,  which 
is  crisp  and  pleasant  to  eat.  Before  baking,  large  potatoes 
may  be  cut  in  two  or  even  sliced. 

2.  Boiled  potatoes. 

Have  enough  boiling  water  to  cover  the  potatoes.  Put 
the  potatoes  of  uniform  size  into  the  kettle,  one  at  a  time, 
that  the  boiling  may  not  stop.  Allow  a  gentle  boiling  to  con- 
tinue until  the  potatoes  are  done.  Why  avoid  rapid  boiling  ? 
Test  with  a  fork  at  the  end  of  half  an  hour.  When  the 
potatoes  are  mellow,  drain  off  the  water,  and  set  the  kettle 
where  the  remaining  moisture  will  steam  off.  Shake  gently 
to  hasten  this  process,  and  sprinkle  the  potatoes  with  salt. 
If  they  must  stand  before  serving,  shall  you  place  a  tin  cover 
or  cloth  over  the  kettle  ?  Old  potatoes  with  a  strong  flavor 
should  be  pared  before  boiling,  or  even  soaked  in  cold  water. 

3.  Mashed  potato. 

Mashed  potato  can  be  very  poor  when  wet  and  lumpy. 
Do  not  use  new,  poor,  or  very  old  potatoes.  See  that  the 
boiled  potatoes  are  as  dry  as  can  be  with  every  particle  of  water 
steamed  away.     Mash  thoroughly  with  the  wire  masher;  add 


124 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

butter  or  butterine,  salt,  and  milk  in  about  the  proportions 
given  for  potato  in  the  half  shell.  Use  a  tablespoonful  or  so 
of  cream  if  you  have  it.     Beat  vigorously.     The  mealiness  of 


Courtesy  of  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Colum- 
Ma  University. 

Fig.  58.  — A  dish  of  mashed  potato  daintily  served  and  browned  in  the  oven. 

the  potato  and  the  beating  make  mashed  potato  perfect.  The 
mashed  potato  should  be  light  and  moist,  but  not  wet.  Re- 
heat in  the  kettle.  Pile  lightly  in  a  hot  dish  and  serve;  or 
smooth  and  brown  the  top  before  serving. 

4.   Scalloped  potato. 

Scalloped  potato  is  a  good  supper  dish. 
Wash,  pare,  and  slice  the  potatoes  in  \  inch  pieces.  Grease 
an  earthen  or  enameled  baking  dish.  Cover  the  bottom  of  the 
dish  with  a  layer  of  the  slices,  sprinkle  the  slices  lightly  with 
flour,  and  put  on  two  teaspoonfuls  of  butter,  or  butterine,  in 
small  bits.  Continue  until  the  dish  is  nearly  full.  Pour 
in  milk  to  barely  cover  the  potatoes,  put  a  cover  on  the  dish, 
and  set  the  dish  in  a  moderate  oven.  Remove  the  cover  in 
time  to  allow  the  top  to  brown.  Allow  rather  more  than  half 
an  hour  for  the  baking. 


THE   HOME  SUPPER  125 

5.  Creamed  potato. 

Here  is  an  easy  way.  Chop  cold  haked  or  boiled  potatoes 
with  the  chopper.  Allow  i  tablespoonful  of  butter  to  i 
pint  of  chopped  potato.  Melt  the  butter  in  a  saucepan.  Stir 
in  the  potatoes.  Shake  from  the  dredger  the  same  amount  as 
a  tablespoonful  of  flour,  stirring  the  potato  with  one  hand 
as  you  shake  with  the  other.  Pour  in  enough  milk,  to  barely 
cover  the  chopped  potato.  Set  the  saucepan  in  the  coolest 
spot  on  the  range,  or  on  an  oil  stove  with  low  flame,  upon  an 
asbestos  mat;  or  turn  all  into  an  earthenware  jar  or  baking 
dish,  and  bake  slowly  until  it  becomes  creamy. 

6.  Potatoes  warmed  over  in  fat. 

This  is  an  old-fashioned  way  and  a  good  one.  Have  only  a 
little  fat  in  the  frying  pan ;  and  that  very  hot.  The  slices  of 
potato  will  become  brown  as  you  turn  them  from  side  to  side. 

7.  Hashed  brown  potato. 

This  is  a  delicious  way  to  warm  up  cold  potatoes.  Chop 
the  potatoes.  To  a  quart  of  chopped  potato  add  a  tablespoon- 
ful of  flour.  Heat  a  frying  pan  and  melt  in  it  two  tablespoon- 
fuls  of  beef  fat.  Stir  the  potato  thoroughly  into  the  fat. 
Press  the  mixture  firmly  down  and  set  the  pan  where  the 
potatoes  will  brown  on  the  bottom.  It  is  better  to  do  this 
slowly,  and  you  should  allow  half  an  hour.  Turn  the  potatoes 
out  on  a  large  plate.  There  should  be  a  nice  brown  crust,  just 
as  you  have  it  in  corned-beef  hash. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Make  a  list  of  the  foodstuffs  in  potato,  with  the  percent- 
ages. 

2.  Make  a  list  of  the  diff^erent  ways  of  cooking  potatoes. 

3.  Explain  why  potatoes,  meat,  and  meat  gravy  containing 
fat  make  a  good  meal. 


126  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

4.  Then,  when  you  put  other  foods  with  potato  to  make  a  meal, 
what  should  the  other  foods  contain  ? 

5.  Can  you  now  add  to  or  change  the  definition  of  cooking  that 
you  made  in  the  lesson  before  ? 

Lesson  15 

griddlecakes  and  sweet  cake 

Are  griddlecakes  and  sweet  cake  wholesome  for  supper  and 
other  meals  ? 

The  quick  breads  are  convenient  for  any  meal  when 
there  is  time  enough  to  bake  them ;  especially  in  cold 
weather,  when  there  is  more  likely  to  be  a  steady  fire. 

The  quickest  batter  to  mix  and  bake  is  the  griddle- 
cake,  or  pancake.  Almost  every  one  likes  them,  when 
they  are  a  fine  brown,  served  with  sugar,  or  maple  sugar 
or  sirup,  or  molasses.  But  how  wholesome  a  food  are 
they  ?  This  was  another  question  that  Miss  Travers 
answered  at  the  school  exhibit,  when  they  were  discuss- 
ing quick  breads.  The  answer  was  something  like  this  : 
We  must  remember  that,  although  two  cooked  foods 
may  have  the  same  materials  in  them,  one  is  easily 
digested  and  the  other  is  not.     And  why  ? 

What  do  we  mean  by  "  digestible  "  .?  "  To  digest  " 
means  ''  to  dissolve,"  to  make  liquid.  All  solid  food 
must  become  liquid,  before  it  can  be  absorbed  and 
carried  about  the  body  by  the  blood.  The  water  that 
we  drink  helps  to  do  this,  but  nature  has  provided  us 
with  substances,  beginning  with  the  saliva  in  the  mouth, 
that  help  in  the  work  of  dissolving.     You  know  that 


THE  HOME  SUPPER  127 

when  you  begin  to  chew  food  the  saHva  begins  to  flow, 
and,  when  the  food  reaches  the  stomach,  the  stomach 
begins  to  churn  the  food,  and  the  gastric  juice  flows 
from  the  walls  of  the  stomach  to  help  this  digestive 
process.^ 

What  difference  is  there  between  the  digestibility 
of  the  griddlecake,  and  of  a  light,  dry  muffin  or  biscuit  ? 
The  flour  in  the  griddlecake  is  not  well  cooked,  for  the 
time  is  too  short.  The  cake  is  so  soft  that  we  do  not 
chew  it ;  and  so  the  starch  in  the  flour  has  missed  the 
first  step  of  digestion.  This  pasty  mass  in  the  stomach 
is  a  bad  thing,  especially  with  the  large  amount  of  sugar 
that  we  usually  take  on  griddlecakes.  But  we  like 
griddlecakes  and  we  cannot  go  without  them  !  Can  we 
not,  when  it  is  a  choice  between  being  strong  and  well, 
happy  and  helpful,  on  the  one  hand,  and  half  well  and 
dull  with  indigestion,  on  the  other  ?  There  is  no  reason 
why  healthy  people  should  not  eat  griddlecakes  once  in 
a  while ;  but  griddlecakes  are  not  meant  for  a  steady 
diet. 

How  can  we  make  griddlecakes  more  digestible  ? 
If  people  insist  on  eating  them,  we  will  try  to  make  them 
as  wholesome  as  we  can. 

1.  Use  some  material  that  has  been  cooked  before,  — • 
bread  crumbs,  cooked  corn  meal,  oatmeal,  rice,  or  any 
other  cooked  cereal. 

2.  Make  them  very  light  and  porous  with  sour  milk 
and  soda,  or  with  baking   powder.      One   good    cook 

^  See  a  physiology  for  further  description  of  the  digestive  process. 


128  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

makes  delicious,  dry,  light  griddlecakes  by  using  sour 
milk  and  soda,  and  a  little  baking  powder,  too. 

3.  Bake  the  griddlecakes  as  thoroughly  as  you  can. 
Do  not  take  them  from  the  griddle  the  moment  they  are 
brown,  but  let  them  stand  until  they  are  cooked  *'  inside." 

4.  Do  not  drown  them  in  sirup  or  bury  them  in  sugar 
when  you  eat  them. 

5.  Take  small  mouthfuls,  and  try  to  chew  each  por- 
tion. 

Sour  milk  griddlecakes. 

What  and  how  much. 


Flour 

2^  cups 

Salt 

J  teaspoonful 

Melted  butter 

2  tablespoonfuls 

Sour  milk 

2  cups 

Soda 

I J  teaspoonfuls 

Egg 

I 

How  to  make.  Mix  dry  ingredients.  Add  sour  milk,  egg 
well  beaten,  and  melted  butter  in  order  given.  Beat  thor- 
oughly. Drop  by  spoonfuls  on  a  greased  griddle,  and  let 
cook  until  the  edges  are  done  and  the  cake  full  of  bubbles. 
Turn  with  a  cake  turner  or  knife,  and  cook  on  the  other  side. 
Serve  with  butter  and  sirup  or  scraped  maple  sugar. 

Cake  making.  One  of  the  Pleasant  Valley  girls  said 
that  her  father  and  brothers  wanted  cake  at  every  meal. 
Cake  has  good  food  materials  in  it ;  so  why  should  we 
not  eat  it  often .?  Some  food  has  to  be  cooked ;  why 
should  it  not  be  cake  ?  The  answer  to  this  is  a  simple 
one.     Although  sugar  is  an  important  fuel  food,  yet, 


THE   HOME   SUPPER 


129 


if  we  use  too  much,  it  is  likely  to  cause  an  acid  ferment 
in  digestion  and  to  irritate  the  stomach.  Little  children 
should  not  take  more  than  two  ounces  a  day,  and  grown 
people  about  four.     We  should  not  eat  sweets  between 


Courtesy  of  the  Department  of  Foods  ami  Cookery,  Teachers  Coll'-ge,  Columbia  University. 
Fig.  59.  —  Marjorie  Allen  made  a  loaf  of  cake  for  supper  one  Saturday. 


meals ;  and  the  best  time  for  a  piece  of  candy,  even,  is 
at  the  end  of  a  meal. 

Cake  is  a  soft  food,  too  ;  so  we  swallow  it  easily  with- 
out chewing.  For  this  latter  reason,  cookies,  which 
are  drier,  are  more  wholesome  than  cake.  Moreover,  if 
we  depend  on  cake,  we  may  take  less  of  more  useful  foods 
like  bread  and  butter,  vegetables  and  fruit,  eggs  and  milk. 


I30 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Must  we  give  up  cake  ?  No,  indeed  ;  but  we  should 
be  temperate  in  using  it.  We  think  of  the  word  "  tem- 
perance "in  connection  with  alcohol,  but  it  can  be  ap- 
plied to  eating,  just  as  well. 

Miss  James  gave  very  Kttle  time  to  cake  making  in 
her  cooking  lessons,  because  the  Pleasant  Valley  girls, 
who  could  cook  little  else,  already  knew  how  to  make 
cake.  Most  families  have  good  rules  of  their  own  for 
cake,  cake  filling,  gingerbread,  and  cookies. 

Miss  James  advised  the  girls  to  learn  to  make  one 
cake  mixture  and  to  use  it  with  different  flavorings  and 
fillings.  They  laughed  at  first  when  Miss  James  spoke 
of  one-egg  cake,  and  were  sure  that  it  would  not  be  good, 
but  they  found  it  very  light  and  well  flavored.  Miss 
James  explained  that  when  eggs  bring  a  good  price  it 
is  sensible  to  use  as  few  as  possible  in  cake.  Here  are 
a  few  of  her  rules  : 

A  table  of  three  recipes  for  one  and  two  egg  cake. 


What  and  how  much. 

Butter 

Sugar        

Egg      ...... 

Flour        

Baking  powder  .  . 
Moisture  .  .  .  . 
Molasses  .  .  .  . 
Vanilla 

Chocolate      .     .     .     . 

Ginger 

Allspice 


4  tb. 

5tb. 

f  c. 

I  c. 

I 

2 

2  C. 

2  C. 

2  t. 

2  t. 

Jc. 

ic. 

4t. 

Jt. 

or 

2  tb. 

4  tb. 

2    C. 

I 

2  C. 


I  t. 
I  t. 


THE   HOME  SUPPER  131 

Mixed  spices  for  a  cake. 

Cloves  and  allspice  J  teaspoonful  each 

Mace  and  nutmeg  i  teaspoonful  each 

Cinnamon  3  teaspoonfuls 

Remarks.  This  is  the  table  that  Miss  James  showed  the  class 
how  to  use  in  their  notebooks.  You  have  made  quick  breads. 
Can  you  not  think  out  the  way  of  mixing  cake  ?  Remember 
about  creaming  (rubbing  soft)  the  butter  and  sugar.  See 
Lesson  20. 


Cookies. 

What  and  how  much. 

Butter 

I  cup 

Sugar 

i|  cups 

Eggs 

2 

Milk 

3  tablespoonfuls 

Flour 

about  3  cups 

Baking  powder 

I  teaspoonful 

Salt 

i\  teaspoonfuls 

How  to  make.  The  flavoring  may  be  two  teaspoonfuls  of 
vanilla,  or  lemon  essence,  one  or  two  tablespoonfuls  of  ground 
spice,  or  caraway  seeds. 

For  baking  use  a  floured  iron  sheet  or  flat  pan.  Tempera- 
ture 400°  F.,  or  even  more.  The  baking  requires  from  15 
to  20  minutes,  depending  on  the  thickness  of  the  cooky. 

Method  of  mixing.  Sift  all  the  flour,  and  stir  the  salt  and 
baking  powder  with  one  cup  of  the  flour.  Cream  the  butter, 
and  beat  in  the  sugar.  Beat  the  whites  and  yolks  of  the  eggs 
together,  and  add  to  the  creamed  butter  and  sugar.  Add  the 
flour  and  milk  alternately;  that  is,  a  quarter  or  third  of  the 
flour,  then  a  portion  of  the  milk,  and  so  on.  First  stir ;  then 
beat  vigorously. 

Shaping  the  cookies.  Turn  the  dough  out  upon  the  floured 
board,  gently  roll  it  out  to  a  quarter  of  an  inch,  cut  and  place 


132  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

cookies  in  a  floured  pan ;  or,  cut  ofi^  a  small  piece,  roll  it  in  the 
flour,  and  pat  it  down  to  a  round.  This  last  way  may  seem  to 
take  longer;  but  it  is  easier,  and  there  is  no  board  to  clean 
afterward. 

A  plainer  cooky  is  made  with  |  cup  butter  and  |  cup  water 
or  milk,  with  somewhat  more  flour. 

Remarks.  These  are  a  good  sweet  for  children  to  take  for 
the  school  lunch  and  to  serve  at  entertainments. 

Sugar  from  the  farm.  When  the  home-making 
class  at  the  Pleasant  Valley  School  studied  the  ques- 
tion of  sugar  and  sweet  cakes,  Miss  James  talked  about 
the  use  of  maple  sugar  in  place  of  the  cane  or  beet 
sugar  that  we  buy.  There  is  a  sugar-maple  grove 
on  the  Allen  farm,  and  the  pupils  were  invited  to  a 
"  sugaring  off,"  when  the  time  came  for  making  the 
sugar  and  sirup. ^  Mrs.  Allen  has  the  old-fashioned 
habit  of  using  maple  sugar  at  the  table  for  cereals, 
for  berries  and  fruit,  and  even  for  coffee  and  tea ;  she 
finds  it  useful  in  cooking,  also.  It  is  worth  while  to  set 
out  sugar  maples,  for  they  grow  as  far  south  as  Texas,  as 
well  as  in  the  eastern  states,  middle  west,  and  northwest. 

Why  not  keep  bees  }  We  may  make  sugar  in  the 
home  grounds,  and  employ  honeybees  to  do  the  work. 
A  few  hiv^s  are  not  diflftcult  to  care  for,  and  the  bees 
will  more  than  repay  us  for  our  labor. 

Using  honey  in  place  of  cane  sugar.  Honey  is  deli- 
cious on  cereal  and  bread.  We  are  experimenting 
with  its  use  in  cooking,  a  practice  common  in  old  times, 

1  See  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  516,  and  Bureau  of  Forestry  Bulletin  No. 
59,  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture. 


THE  HOME   SUPPER  133 

especially  in  Europe.  It  may  be  used  in  cakes,  cookies, 
and  desserts.  There  is  an  acid  in  honey,  and,  there- 
fore, it  can  take  the  place  of  molasses  in  some  recipes. 

Soft  honey  cakes.^ 

What  and  how  much.  . 

Butter  \  cup 

Honey  i  cup 

Egg  I 

Sour  milk  \  cup 

Soda  I  teaspoonful 

Cinnamon  ^  teaspoonful 

Ginger  J  teaspoonful 

Flour  4  cups 

How  to  make.  Rub  the  butter  and  honey  together;  add 
the  egg  well  beaten,  the  milk  and  the  flour  sifted  with  soda 
and  spices.     Bake  in  a  shallow  pan. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Explain  why  a  dry,  well-baked  muffin  is  better  than  a  fresh 
griddlecake. 

2.  Study  the  two  rules  for  cake  and  see  how  many  variations 
you  can  make. 

3.  Describe  the  baking  of  a  loaf  of  cake. 

4.  Why  is  it  better  not  to  eat  sweet  cake  at  every  meal  ? 

5.  Explain  why  sugar,  which  is  a  good  food,  can  do  us  harm. 

Lesson  16 

clearing  up 

Have  you  ever  wished  at  the  end  of  a  meal  for  a  good  fairy 

like  one  of  those  in  the  stories  who  waves  a  wand  :  "  Presto"  —  and 

table  and  dishes  vanish  ?     Can  "clearing  up"  after  supper  be  made 

pleasant  .^ 

*  See  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  653  for  this  and  other  recipes  with  honey. 


134  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

There  are  some  people  who  hke  to  wash  dishes.  For 
the  rest  of  us  there  is  nothing  to  do  but  to  make  an  art 
of  cleaning  up  thoroughly,  quickly,  and  cheerfully. 
One  of  our  great  writers,  Mr.  William  James,  tells  us 
that  when  we  feel  unhappy,  if  we  behave  as  if  we  were 
cheerful,  all  at  once  we  shall  find  that  we  really  are 
cheerful !     Try  it  when  it  is  dish-washing  time. 

When  dish  washing  is  done  well,  it  is  really  a  pretty 
piece  of  work.  When  we  hurry  through  and  it  is  badly 
done,  —  the  dishes,  spoons,  and  forks  are  left  "  sticky," 
the  sink  greasy,  the  towels  unclean, — what  more  un- 
pleasant task  ! 

Here  is  something  to  remember  at  the  very  beginning 
of  our  talks  about  cleanliness.  Nothing  can  be  half- 
clean.  A  thing  is  either  clean,  or  it  is  not ;  and  when  it 
is  not  clean  it  is  '"  dirty."  If  one  spot  of  spilled  food 
is  left  anywhere,  how  soon  that  one  fly  finds  it  ! 

The  importance  of  cleanliness.  Cleanliness  is  not 
only  beautiful  and  comfortable,  but  it  is  an  enemy  of  ill 
health,  sickness,  disease.  When  we  study  sanitation, 
which  we  hear  about  so  often,  we  are  studying  how  to 
keep  clean  ;  and  that  is  all.  The  word  sanitation  comes 
from  a  Latin  word  meaning  "  health."  You  cannot  see 
what  this  has  to  do  with  dish  washing  ?  Sore  throats 
and  other  sicknesses  will  go  from  one  member  of  a  family 
to  another  on  half-washed  spoons,  forks,  cups  ;  and  a 
musty  dishcloth  or  mop  may  be  a  source  of  illness. 

What  does  cleaning  up  after  a  meal  mean  ?  It  means 
putting  the  uneaten  food  neatly  away ;    collecting  the 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  135 

scraps  ;  leaving  the  table  in  order,  and  the  floor  under- 
neath free  from  crumbs  ;  having  all  the  dishes  washed, 
the  glasses  and  silver  shiny  and  set  away  in  order, 
and  the  sink  and  dish  towels  spotlessly  clean. 

What  do  we  need  for  dish  washing  ?  Water,  air, 
sunshine  are  nature's  cleansers,  always  at  work  if  we 
give  them  a  chance.  When  we  wash  dishes,  we  need 
plenty  of  clean  hot  water. 

Soft  and  hard  water.  Rain  water  is  always  "  soft." 
Brook  and  spring  water  and  even  well  water  are  some- 
times so.  When  the  water  takes  up  lime  or  iron  from 
the  soil,  we  then  have  a  "  hard  "  water ;  and  you 
know  that  it  is  hard  when  the  soap  does  not  make  foamy 
suds.  One  kind  of  hard  water  is  improved  by  boiling, 
and  anoth'^r  is  not ;  with  either  we  need  to  use  borax, 
ammonia,  or  some  stronger  washing  powder  in  the 
water.  If  you  are  still  making  and  using  the  old-fash- 
ioned "  soft  soap,"  there  is  nothing  better  to  soften  the 
water ;  but  many  people  have  given  up  doing  this. 

Plenty  of  hot  water.  When  there  is  running  water  in 
the  house,  the  easiest  way  is  to  have  a  boiler  connected 
with  the  stove,  and  a  water  back  put  in  for  heating  the 
water.  Some  stoves,  either  coal  or  wood,  come  with  a 
tank  at  the  back  into  which  water  can  be  poured.  It 
is  in  summer  weather  when  we  do  not  need  a  hot  fire  that 
the  question  of  water  is  troublesome.  If  you  are  using 
kerosene,  you  may  still  have  plenty  of  hot  water,  with  a 
little  thought  and  care.  Study  in  Lesson  26  the  At- 
kinson and  the  fireless  cookers,  and  this  may  suggest 


136 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


to  you  a  way  of  having  hot  water  for  dishes  without 
heating  the  kitchen.  A  large  pail  of  water  can  be 
brought  to  a  boil  on  a  kerosene  stove,  and  kept  hot  either 


Courtesy  of  Miss  Ethel  Dole. 
Fig.  60.  —  Washing  dishes.     Notice  the  rack  at  the  left  for  draining  dishes. 
The  sink  is  too  low. 


in  the  Atkinson  or  in  a  fireless,  ready  for  the  next  dish 
washing. 

A  word  about  soap.  Soap  making  was  always  done 
at  home  in  the  days  of  our  great-grandmothers.  For 
this  purpose  they  saved  fat  to  be  boiled  with  lye  made 
from  wood  ashes.  In  these  days  a  good  soap  can  be 
purchased  cheaply.     Buying  soap  is  one  way  of  saving 


THE  HOME  SUPPER  137 

time  and  strength  in  the  country  home.  It  does  not 
cost  much  less  bought  by  the  box  than  by  the  dozen 
cakes  or  bars,  but  it  can  be  laid  away  to  harden  if  we 
buy  a  large  quantity  at  one  time.  Borax  or  naphtha 
soap  is  a  help  when  the  water  is  hard. 

Washing  the  dishes.  With  plenty  of  hot  water, 
soap,  and  something  to  soften  the  water,  with  a  dish- 
pan  and  another  pan  for  rinsing,  we  are  ready  for  action. 
Remember  to  have  ready  a  clean  dishcloth  and  towels,  — 
if  used,  —  dried  in  air  and  sun,  although  not  necessarily 
ironed.  Perhaps  you  have  a  soap  shaker,  with  small 
pieces  of  soap  put  into  it.  Make  one  from  a  tin  can, 
with  holes  driven  in  by  a  large  jiail  and  hammer,  near 
the  bottom  of  the  can.  You  also  need  fine  sand,  or  a 
gritty  cleaner  or  soap,  and  a  small  stiff  brush. 

1.  The  cooking  utensils  have  been  standing  with  cold 
water  in  them  ;  or,  if  greasy,  with  hot  water  and  a  little 
washing  powder. 

2.  Scrape  and  pile  the  dishes  —  dishes  of  a  kind 
together.  Rub  greasy  dishes  off  with  soft  paper,  and 
put  the  paper  in  the  stove. 

3.  Put  water  in  pans,  and  use  the  shaker  vigorously. 
How  clean  and  sweet  the  soapsuds  smell  ! 

4.  Wash  a  dish  at  a  time,  the  cleanest  first.  Why  f 
Do  not  fill  the  pan  with  dishes  first.     Why .? 

5.  Rinse  the  dishes  in  the  clear  hot  water  pan  and 
wipe  ;  or,  better  still,  arrange  the  dishes  as  in  Fig.  61, 
pour  boiling  water  over  them,  and  allow  them  to  drain 
dry. 


138  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

6.  Change  the  dishwater  if  it  begins  to  look  greasy 
and  unpleasant. 

7.  Wash  the  cooking  utensils  as  clean  as  the  glasses 
and  silver.  This  may  mean  a  good  scrubbing  on  the 
bottom.  The  iron  pot  or  pan  can  be  just  as  clean,  and 
should  be,  as  any  other  dish.  Be  doubly  sure  that  all 
utensils  that  can  rust  are  dry,  before  you  put  them  away. 

8.  If  there  are  any  steel  knives,  leave  them  clean  and 
dry. 

9.  Wash  out  the  towels  in  clean  soapsuds,  rinse  and 
hang  outdoors  ;  or,  if  stormy,  dry  them  near  the  stove, 
and  then  put  them  away. 

10.  Wash  out  the  dish  pans  and  put  them  to  dry. 

11.  Wash  the  sink,  leaving  it  sweet  and  clean  and  dry. 
If  there  is  a  waste  pipe,  with  or  without  running  water, 
put  some  cleanser  down,  with  some  clean  water.  A 
little  kerosene  helps  here. 

12.  Put  all  the  dishes  away. 

13.  Of  course,  a  thoroughly  good  housekeeper  leaves 
the  kitchen  table  and  stove  clean,  too. 

Do  you  draw  a  long  breath,  glad  that  it  is  over .?  It 
is  not  so  long  a  task  as  it  sounds,  if  done  promptly. 
If  you  hurry  too  much,  see  the  ''  nicks  "  on  the  dishes. 
Can  we  not  save  some  time  and  trouble  ^ 
Yes,  indeed.  Barbara  Oakes  reported  a  cleaning-up 
game,  where  the  children  divided  the  work  so  there  was 
something  for  No.  i,  No.  2,  No.  3  to  do,  taking  turns  at 
different  times.  Barbara  said  that  one  was  made  in- 
spector, to  see  that  each  thing  was  properly  done.     They 


THE  HOME  SUPPER 


139 


had  found  that  singing  in  chorus  helped  a  bit,  when 
everybody  seemed  a  httle  "  out  of  sorts." 

A  number  of  people  have  been  studying  the  question 
of  dish  towels,  and  they  tell  us  that  the  very  cleanest 
way  to  finish  off  our  dishes  is  to  arrange  them  in  a  rack 
in  such  a  way  that  they  can  be  well  rinsed  with  boiling 


Courtesy  of  Domestic  Utilities  Co.,  Newark,  A'.  J. 

Fig.  61.  — Dishes  placed  in  a  round  rack. 


water.  If  they  have  been  thoroughly  washed  in  the 
soapsuds,  the  hot  water  rinses  off  the  suds  and  the  dishes 
will  drain  dry.  Figure  60  shows  such  a  rack  standing 
on  the  drain  board  at  the  left.  A  better  way  is  to  have 
a  round  rack  with  a  handle.  Place  the  dishes  as  you 
see  them  in  Fig.  61.  Empty  the  dish  pan,  fill  it  with 
hot  water,  and  set  it  on  the  stove.      Lower  the  rack 


140 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


of  dishes  into  the  water  and  let  it  remain  until  the 
water  boils.  Lift  the  rack,  drain  off  the  water,  and  set 
the  rack  where  the  dishes  will  dry  quickly.  A  few  may 
need  polishing  with  a  clean  towel. 

Can  we  "  save  dishes  "  ^     This  you  will  have  to  talk 
over  with   Mother.     Somebody  suggests   using  paper 


Cottrtesv  of  A'f  n  York  Slut'  College  uf  Agriculture  at  Cornell  Universuy. 

Fig.  62.  —  Paper  dishes  for  saving  work. 

or  wooden  plates  sometimes  in  summer,  and  burning 
them.  Another  way  to  save  dishes  is  to  put  more  than 
one  kind  of  food  on  the  serving  dish  or  platter  (Fig.  63), 
or  to  put  the  food  on  the  table  in  the  dish  in  which 
it  is  cooked,  when  this  is  possible  (Fig.  64).  If  we 
use  large  plates  at  each  place,  we  can  put  several  kinds 
of  food  upon  the  plate,  instead  of  having  many  small 
dishes.     The  use  of  heavy  plated  knives  will  save  rub- 


THE  HOME  SUPPER 


Courtesy  of  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 

Fig.  63.  — -One  way  to  save  dishes  is  to  put  more  than  one  kind  of  food  on  the 
serving  dish  or  platter. 


Courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 

Fig.  64.  —  Utensils  in  which  foods  may  be  both  cooked  and  served. 


142 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


bing.  Some  people  save  one  dish  washing  by  rinsing 
off  the  supper  dishes,  pihng  them  up,  and  covering  them 
to  be  washed  with  the  breakfast  dishes ;   but  perhaps 

this  is  not  a  good  plan 
with  a  very  large  family 
where  we  need  a  large 
number  of  dishes. 

A  dishwasher.  Show 
your  mother  this  pic- 
ture, Fig.  65,  and  ask 
her  what  she  thinks 
about  having  a  dish- 
washer. There  are 
several  made  for  family 
use,  which  may  be 
found  a  help  in  a  large 
family.  This  would  be 
a  good  question  for  the 
Woman's  Club  to  ask 
Miss  Travers  or  some 
one  else  at  the  State 
College.  Can  you  rec- 
ommend a  good  dish- 
washer ? 

What  shall  we  do 
with  our  waste  water  .?  It  is  all  very  well  to  turn  dish- 
water into  the  sink  and  let  the  water  run  out  through 
the  drain  ;  but  what  becomes  of  it  ? 

All  slops  from  the  house  must  be  carried  far  away 


Fig.  65. 


A  dishwasher  saves  time  and 
work. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER 


143 


from  the  house  and  poured  out  in  some  way  so  that  no 
moisture  or  filth  collects.     In  the  lesson  on  vegetables 


Courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  Universitv. 
Fig.  66. — A  waste  water  hopper  prevents  moisture  and  filth  from  collecting 
around  the  house. 

we  speak  of  taking  out  the  slops  in  dry  weather  for 
watering  purposes.  Drainage  from  the  house  can  be 
carried  out  in  pipes  to  the  garden,  provided  the  slope  of 


Fig.  67. 


Courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 

A  safe  plan  is  to  have  a  septic  tank  built  underground  into  which 
the  waste  water  drains. 


the  land  is  right  for  this.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  a  very 
safe  plan  is  to  have  a  tank  built  underground  into 
which  the  waste  water  drains  and  from  which  it  is 


144 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


carried  out.  Never  let  slop  water  of  any  kind  collect 
in  a  wet  or  bad-smelling  spot  under  the  window,  or  any- 
where near  the  house.  This  is  one  of  the  most  impor- 
tant matters  in  our  housekeeping.  Your  mother  and 
father  can  have  pamphlets  from  the  government  telling 
them  just  what  to  do. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Why  may  it  be  dangerous  to  have  slops  poured  out  near  the 
house  ? 

2.  Make  a  plan  of  taking  care  of  slop  water  at  home. 

3.  How  can  you  simplify  dish  washing  at  school  and  at  home? 

4.  What  are  the  most  important  points  in  dish  washing  ? 

5.  What  is  the  danger  in  a  damp,  old  mop  or  a  partly  soiled 
dish  towel  ? 

6.  Give  some  suggestions  for  saving  dishes  in  the  preparation 
of  a  meal. 

7.  It  is  baking  day.     How  are  you  going  to  "save  dishes"  and 
make  clearing  up  easy  .? 

REVIEW 

1.  Make  a  drawing  showing  how  to  place  the  dishes  and  the 
silver  for  a  home  supper  for  six  persons. 

2.  What  do  you  like  fbr  supper  in  the  winter  ?  for  supper  in 
summer .? 

3.  Can  you  think  of  some  meat  substitutes  for  supper  ? 

4.  What  is  essential  to  a  good  salad  ? 

5.  You  have  been  told  that  you  should  not  drink   tea.     Do 
you  know  why  tea  is  injurious  ? 

6.  Careless  cooks  make  very  poor  tea.     Just  how  should  tea 
be  made .? 

7.  Give  the  two  methods  for  canning  fruit. 


THE   HOME   SUPPER  145 

8.  How  does  preserving  fruit  differ  from  canning  ? 

9.  Outline  the  process  of  making  jelly. 

10.  What  fruits  will  you  use  when  you  make  jelly  ?     Why  ? 

11.  You  have  heard  of  girls'  canning  clubs.     Can  you  tell  how 
to  can  tomatoes  or  peas  ? 

12.  What  is  the  value  of  fruit  in  the  diet  ? 

13.  In  what  ways  may  apples  or  pears  be  cooked  during  the 
winter .? 

14.  Does  the  potato  contain  any  valuable  food  substances  ? 

15.  Describe  the  effect  of  cooking  on  the  potato. 

16.  There  are  many  good  ways  of  cooking  a  potato.     How 
many  ways  can  you  describe  ? 

17.  Have  you  learned  anything  about  washing  dishes  ? 

18.  What  is  the  difference  between  hard  and  soft  water? 

19.  Tell  how  you  can  help  in  preparing  supper  at  home  on 
Saturday. 


CHAPTER   IV 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST 


Lesson  17 


SUITABLE    BREAKFAST   DISHES 

What  do  we  like  for  breakfast  ? 

When  the  Pleasant  Valley  cooking  class  began  to  ask 
this  question,  there  were  so  many  different  answers 
that  the  chairman  of  the  luncheon  committee  for  the 
week  was  glad  that  they  were  not  having  breakfast  at 
school,  because  it  would  be  harder  than  ever  to  suit 
everybody. 

How  can  you  explain  such  differences  as  these  ?  Miss 
James  said  that  in  the  warm  weather,  even  when  she 
was  teaching,  she  was  satisfied  with  fruit,  boiled  eggs, 
buttered  toast,  and  cocoa  or  coffee  ;  on  a  cold  morning, 
in  addition  to  the  other  things,  she  liked  a  large  portion 
of  oatmeal  or  some  other  cereal  with  cream  or  with  but- 

146 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  147 

ter  and  sugar ;  but  she  seldom  ate  meat  for  breakfast. 
Most  of  the  pupils  reported  that  their  fathers  were  not 
suited  at  all  with  such  a  meal ;  that  for  breakfast  they 
called  for  ham  and  eggs,  or  bacon  and  eggs,  boiled  pota- 
toes, and  hot  biscuit  or  corn  bread,  perhaps  doughnuts, 
or  even  pie.  MoUie  Stark  said  the  doctor  told  her  father 
that  it  was  no  wonder  he  had  indigestion  on  Sunday 
when  he  ate  sausages  and  buckwheat  cakes  with  maple 
sirup  for  bre'kkfast,  and  did  much  less  work  than  usual ; 
and  that,  on  a  week  day  in  the  winter,  if  he  were  working 
in  the  wood  lot  at  chopping  trees,  it  would  be  quite  an- 
other matter. 

This  led  to  a  very  interesting  talk  about  the  kind 
and  amount  of  food  for  different  people,  at  different 
times. 

Breakfast  plans.  Several  different  plans  for  break- 
fast were  put  on  the  blackboard,  somewhat  as  follows  : 


V 

Fruit 

Cereal 

Meat 

Another  hot  dish 

Toast 

Beverage 

Miss  James  explained  that  bread  or  biscuit  might  take 
the  place  of  toast,  and  that  eggs,  milk,  or  fish  could  be 
substituted  for  meat.  Miss  James  said,  also,  that  in 
all  these   plans    the  foodstuffs   are    present ;    that   is. 


BREAKFAST 

PLANS 

I 

II 

III 

IV 

Fruit 

Fruit 

Fruit 

Fruit 

Toast 

Cereal 

Meat 

Cereal 

Beverage 

Toast 

Toast 

Meat 

Beverage 

Beverage 

Toast 
Beverage 

148  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

starch  and  sugar,  fat,  protein,  mineral  substances,  and 
water.  In  breakfast  V  there  is  a  greater  quantity  of 
food  all  together,  and  more  of  the  protein  and  fat  than 
in  breakfast  I. 

How  can  there  be  so  many  kinds  of  breakfast  ?  They 
are  all  real,  because  somewhere  just  such  meals  are 
being  eaten  by  somebody. 

One  reason  for  a  light  breakfast.  When  you  are 
traveling  on  the  continent  of  Europe  you  have  coffee 
or  chocolate,  and  rolls,  with  perhaps  a  little  honey, 
given  to  you  for  the  first  meal  of  the  day ;  and  you 
soon  find  it  is  all  you  want,  because  your  last  meal  the 
evening  before  was  dinner,  the  heartiest  of  the  day. 
In  some  of  the  cities  of  our  own  country,  many  people 
eat  very  little  breakfast,  and  that  of  a  simple  kind,  be- 
cause they,  too,  have  had  their  dinner  at  night.  So, 
after  a  heavy  meal  late  in  the  day,  a  light  breakfast  seems 
to  be  the  natural  thing.  But  that  is  only  one  reason 
for  the  differences. 

Work  and  eating.  There  are  people  in  the  big  city 
who  want  a  breakfast  like  IV  or  V,  and  who  might  be 
willing  to  go  without  the  fruit  for  something  more 
"  hearty."  The  man  who  is  working  hard  with  his 
muscles  in  the  open  air  eats  more  and  can  digest  kinds 
of  food  that  another  cannot  who  is  quieter,  and  who  is 
sitting  at  a  desk  all  day.  Marjorie  Allen  said  that  her 
uncle,  who  is  the  cashier  of  a  bank,  wants  a  breakfast 
something  like  Miss  James's,  or  like  I,  II,  or  III.  The 
amount  and  kind  of  physical  work  that  you  are  to  do 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  149 

after  breakfast,  then,  should  affect  what  you  eat.  If 
you  yourself  should  eat  sausages  and  breakfast  cakes 
with  sirup  for  breakfast  and  then  should  sit  down  to 
work  on  a  problem  in  square  or  cube  root,  you  would 
probably  find  yourself  sleepy.  But  if  you  are  in  good 
health,  if  it  is  a  Saturday  morning  in  winter,  and  if 
you  are  going  skating,  you  will  be  better  able  to  digest 
such  a  breakfast. 

How  does  the  season  of  the  year  afifect  the  meal  ? 
In  the  summer  time  it  is  hard  to  digest  sausage  and 
griddle  cakes  with  sirup.  Meat  is  not  the  best  food 
for  hot  weather.  Yet  the  farmer  needs  a  hearty 
breakfast  to  do  a  day's  work.  Give  him  some  cheese. 
Indeed,  in  haying  time  bread  and  milk  would  make  one 
of  the  best  of  breakfasts,  if  Father  could  be  persuaded 
to  think  so.  If  he  thinks  that  would  not  "  stay  by  " 
him,  why  not  oatmeal,  with  bread  and  milk,  then  ^ 

Size  and  eating.  Who  eats  more,  the  baby  or 
a  grown  person  ?  A  strong  man,  six  feet  tall,  weighing 
say  180  pounds,  must  eat  more  for  breakfast  than  a 
small  person  ;  somewhat  as  a  large  stove  takes  more 
fuel  than  a  small  one.  If  he  is  in  health  and  working 
hard,  he  can  digest  food  and  the  body  can  use  food  of  a 
kind  that  gives  other  people  indigestion.  But  such  a 
man  even  can  make  mistakes  in  his  food  sometimes. 

A  few  breakfast  dishes.  Suppose  we  plan  for  a  break- 
fast like  No.  IV,  —  baked  apples,  oatmeal  with  milk  and 
sugar,  a  meat  dish,  corn  bread,  and  cocoa  or  coffee. 
What  shall  we  have  for  the  meat  dish  ? 


I50  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Do  you  know  how  to  make  a  good  corned-beef  hash  ? 

Corned-beef  hash. 

What.     Cold  corned  beef,  and  cold  boiled  or  baked  potatoes. 

How  much.  Equal  amounts  of  both  and  enough  to  fill 
the  large  frying  pan,  or  "spider,''  as  it  is  sometimes  called, 
if  that  is  enough  for  your  family. 

How  to  make.  Chop  the  meat  and  potatoes  together ;  add 
a  little  water  and  a  tablespoonful  of  flour.  Mix  all  well. 
Heat  the  pan,  and  put  in  enough  fat  —  say  beef  fat  —  to 
cover  the  bottom  of  the  pan.  Turn  in  the  meat  and  potatoes, 
and  smooth  the  top.  Let  it  cook  where  it  will  brown  but  not 
burn.  It  should  be  put  on  when  you  are  beginning  to  get 
breakfast.  When  breakfast  is  ready,  slip  a  knife  around  the 
edge  and  under  the  hash.  Turn  it  out  on  a  hot  plate  or 
platter.  It  should  have  a  nice,  brown  crust.  Never  mind 
if  the  crust  breaks,  for  the  hash  will  have  a  good  flavor,  even  if 
if  it  does  not  look  so  well. 

Another  way  is  to  use  mashed  potato.  Then  the  chopped 
meat  must  be  mixed  with  the  potato  while  the  latter  is  hot. 
This  mixture  can  be  baked  and  served  in  an  earthen  dish. 

Fish  hash. 

What.  Salt  codfish,  raw  potato ;  fish  shredded,  and  potato 
cut  into  small  pieces,     i  or  2  eggs. 

How  much.  Equal  parts  of  the  two :  2  cups  of  codfish,  and 
2  cups  of  potato.     I  egg  will  make  a  good  dishful. 

How  to  make.  Have  a  saucepan  ready  with  enough  boiling 
water  in  it  to  cover  the  potato  and  fish.  Turn  into  it  the  fish 
and  potato.  Let  them  cook  until  the  potato  is  tender  — 
about  20  minutes.  Drain  oflPthe  water,  break  the  egg  into  the 
hash,  mash,  and  beat  hard  for  a  minute.  While  the  potato  and 
fish  are  cooking,  grease  a  baking  dish.  Turn  the  mixture  into 
the  dish,  and  brown  the  hash  in  the  oven. 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  151 

Another  way  is  to  cook  2  eggs  hard  while  the  potato  and 
fish  are  cooking,  sHce  them,  and  put  them  on  top  of  the  hash 
in  the  dish  in  which  you  will  serve  it.  Do  not  brown  the  top. 
Which  of  these  two  ways  is  quicker  ? 

Creamed  dried  beef. 

Do  you  ever  smoke  beef  on  your  farm  }  You  are  fortunate, 
if  you  do. 

What.  Dried  beef  sliced,  milk  or  skimmed  milk,  beef  fat, 
flour. 

How  much.  Enough  beef  to  nearly  fill  the  frying  pan. 
2  tablespoonfuls  fat,  and  about  2  tablespoonfuls  flour.  Enough 
milk  to  cover  the  beef,  a  cup  or  more. 

How  to  make.  Put  the  beef  in  the  pan.  Pour  on  hot  water 
and  let  it  stand  a  few  minutes  on  the  stove.  Pour  off"  the 
water  and  let  the  beef  steam  off  for  a  minute.  Add  the  fat 
and  stir  until  the  fat  begins  to  "sizzle."  Shake  on  the  flour, 
from  a  shaker  if  you  have  one,  and  stir  again  until  the  flour 
is  mixed  in  evenly.  Pour  in  the  milk,  cold ;  stir  once  more. 
Let  the  pan  stand  back  on  the  stove,  stirring  once  in  a  while 
until  the  milk  is  thickened.     Serve  as  it  is,  or  on  toast. 

*'  Frizzled  "  beef  with  egg. 

How  to  make.  Do  everything  as  you  did  with  the  creamed 
dried  beef,  through  stirring  in  the  fat.  Then  add  2  or  3 
beaten  eggs ;  stir  very  fast,  —  scramble,  in  fact,  —  until 
the  egg  is  cooked ;   then  serve  at  once. 

We  shall  find  some  other  breakfast  dishes  farther  on  in  the 
book. 

How  can  we  make  it  easy  to  get  breakfast .?  We  have 
said  nothing  about  Mother,  so  far,  in  our  talk  about 
breakfast,  but  she  is  probably  the  one  who  is  interested 
in  preparing  the  meal  and  in  having  it  ready  quickly. 


152  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

One  way  to  save  time  in  the  morning  is  to  make  some 
things  partly  ready  the  night  before. 

Read  the  two  recipes  for  hash  again,  and  see  what 
could  be  done  beforehand.  These  recipes  and  the  two 
for  dried  beef  are  planned  to  use  as  few  utensils  as 
possible.  This  saves  dish  washing.  In  the  lessons  on 
cereals  we  shall  find  there  are  other  ways  of  saving  time 
for  Mother  in  the  early  morning. 

Making  coffee  for  breakfast.  Many  grown  people 
think  that  they  cannot  do  without  the  cup  of  fragrant 
coffee  in  the  morning.  Miss  James  explained  to  the 
cooking  class  that,  although  young  people  should  not 
drink  it  themselves,  they  ought  to  know  how  to  make 
it  well  for  other  people.  She  advised  them  to  use,  in- 
stead of  true  coffee,  a  hot  drink  made  from  grain  roasted 
and  ground. 

What  is  cereal  coffee  ?  Mollie  Stark's  grandmother 
told  her  that  crust  coffee  could  be  made  from  the  old- 
fashioned  brown  bread,  which  is  a  mixture  of  rye  and 
Indian  meal,  sweetened  with  a  little  molasses.  The 
crusts  should  be  dried  in  the  oven,  made  fine  with  a 
rolling  pin,  and  kept  dry  in  a  jar,  ready  for  use.  The 
beverage  is  made  by  putting  a  cupful  of  these  crumbs 
into  a  coffeepot,  pouring  on  a  quart  of  boiling  water, 
and  letting  the  pot  stand  at  the  back  of  the  stove  for 
about  half  an  hour. 

Very  few  people  make  this  kind  of  brown  bread  now- 
adays, but  we  may  still  have  cereal  coffee.  If  you  have 
grain  on  the  farm  take  equal  parts  of  popcorn,  shelled 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST 


153 


rye,  and  wheat  grains,  roast  them  slowly  in  a  pan  in  the 
oven  until  they  are  brown  all  the  way  through,  keep 
the  parched  grain  in  tight  jars,  and  grind  in  the  coffee 
grinder  just  as  you  would  coffee  grains.  A  little  prac- 
tice will  tell  you  just  how  much  water  to  use  to  a  cupful 
of  the  ground  grain.  Gentle  boiling  for  half  an  hour 
gives  a  beverage  of  very  good  flavor.  This  homemade 
cereal  coffee  is  less  costly  than  the  kinds  that  may  be 
purchased. 

What  is  real  coffee  ?  The  coffee  bean  comes  from  a 
tree  growing  in  tropic  countries,  which  first  came  from 
Arabia.  Now  most 
of  our  coffee  comes 
from  Brazil,  from 
Central  America, 
and  from  the  West 
Indies,  although  we 
still  use  the  names 
Mocha  and  Java.  Fig.  68 
The  berries  are  cured 
and  roasted  before  we  grind  them  for  making.  Has 
your  mother  ever  thought  of  buying  green  coffee  by  the 
bag  from  some  wholesale  firm  and  roasting  it  in  a  slow 
oven  from  time  to  time  ^  If  this  seems  too  much 
trouble,  she  can  buy  good  coffee,  already  roasted,  from 
the  wholesale  dealer,  for  not  more  than  19  or  20  cents 
a  pound.  It  is  much  better  to  buy  it  this  way  than 
ground  in  tins,  for  you  will  have  a  better  flavor  when 
you  grind  it  just  before  using. 


Cowtesy  oftne  Hramdhall  Dean  Co. 

A  pot  for  boiling  coffee  and  a  pot  for 
drip  coffee. 


154  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Coffee  contains  two  substances  that  are  not  especially 

good  for  us.     One  is  caffeine,  very  much  like  the  theine 

^.^  of  tea,  and  the  other  is  a  form 

of  tannic  acid.     While  we  may 

like  the  flavor  of  coffee  boiled 

a  long  time,  it  is  much  better 

to  boil  it  only  a  minute  or  two, 

or  to  make  drip  coffee.     The 

long   boiling   draws    out    the 

^..^-^--^m^J^^^.^  M^  harmful  tannic  acid.    Also  the 

^^^;-^     jft^T!!!!:^^  liquid  coffee  should  be  poured 

courtesy  of  Latulers.  Frary  and  Clart.     ^f^  ^ J^g  gfOUuds  at  OUCe.       HerC 
Fig.  69.-A  coffee  percolator.  ^^^  pictures   (FigS.   68  and  69) 

that  show  the  different  kinds  of  coffeepots.  In  the 
"  percolator''  the  water  boils  up  through  the  coffee ;  in 
the  drip  coffeepot  the  water  is  poured  on  from  above 
and  slowly  drips  through  the  coffee  grounds.     //  you 

buy  a  percolator,  the  directions  usually  come  with  it. 

Boiled  coffee. 

What.  Ground  coffee,  water,  cold  or  boiling,  white  of  egg 
or  eggshell  for  boiled  coffee.  The  coffee  should  be  ground 
to  medium  fineness  for  boiled  coffee ;  to  a  finer  powder  for  the 
percolated  and  drip  coffee. 

How  much.  One  part  of  coffee  to  5  or  6  of  water,  depending 
upon  the  strength  desired.  One  eggshell  or  half  the  white 
of  an  egg,  to  i  cup  of  ground  coffee. 

How  to  make.  Measure  the  coffee  and  water.  Stir  the 
white  or  the  shell  of  an  egg  with  the  coffee,  adding  a  little  of 
the  water.  Put  this  into  the  pot.  Add  the  remaining  water 
cold.     Stir  thoroughly.     Allow  the  water  to  rise  slowly  to 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST  155 

the  boiling  point  and  to  boil  one  minute.  Remove  the  pot 
from  the  fire.  Pour  in  a  small  amount  of  cold  water.  Then 
let  the  coffee  stand  for  five  minutes  or  until  the  grounds 
settle.  During  the  cooking  close  the  lip  with  clean,  soft 
paper,  if  the  lip  has  no  lid.  The  actual  boiling  is  continued  for 
a  brief  period  only.  Coffee  made  by  this  method  is  consid- 
ered by  some  people  to  have  a  flavor  lacking  in  drip  or  perco- 
lator coffee.  The  egg  is  added  to  clear  the  coffee.  Pour 
off  the  liquid  coffee  from  the  grounds,  and  keep  hot  until 
it  is  time  to  serve  it. 

A  second  method  differs  from  this  in  that  the  water  is  poured 
on  at  the  boiling  temperature,  allowed  to  reach  the  boiling 
point  in  two  or  three  minutes,  and  boiled  for  five  minutes. 
The  first  gives  uniformly  better  results.  It  is  true,  however, 
that  different  kinds  of  coffee  need  different  treatment.  There 
is  room  here  for  much  experimenting. 

Drip  coffee. 

How  to  make.  In  this  method  the  coffee  is  put  in  the  upper 
part  of  the  pot,  and  the  water  passes  slowly  through,  collect- 
ing below  in  the  pot  from  which  it  is  served.  Stand  the  lower 
part  of  the  pot  in  a  pan  of  hot  water,  or  where  it  will  keep  hot. 
Measure  and  bring  the  water  to  the  boiling  point.  Heat  the 
ground  coffee  slightly,  put  it  in  the  upper  section  of  the  pot, 
and  pour  on  the  water  very  slowly.  Of  course  the  water  is 
not  actually  boiling  when  it  touches  the  coffee.  If  the  liquid 
coffee  is  not  strong  enough,  pour  it  from  the  lower  part  and 
pass  it  through  the  grounds  again. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Take  one  of  the  breakfast  plans  most  nearly  like  the  break- 
fast you  have  at  home,  and  make  several  breakfast  menus,  writing 
in  the  names  of  the  different  dishes,  as  is  done  on  page  147. 

2.  Look  up  the  meaning  of  the  word  "menu." 


IS6  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

3.  Explain,  as  you  would  to  your  mother  and  father,  why 
fat  pork  would  be  better  for  breakfast  in  winter  than  in  summer. 

4.  When  you  are  quiet,  why  do  you  need  different  foods  from 
those  when  you  are  exercising  all  day  ? 

5.  Here  is  a  question  that  you  perhaps  cannot  answer  yet; 
it  will  set  you  thinking.  If  you  have  slept  out  of  doors,  are  you 
hungrier  in  the  morning  than  if  you  had  slept  in  a  closed  room  all 
night  ? 

6.  Explain  why  coffee  should  be  poured  off  the  coffee  grounds 
at  once. 

7.  Why  is  drip  coffee  supposed  to  be  less  harmful  than  boiled 
coffee  f 

Lesson  18 

breakfast  cereals 
Why  are  breakfast  cereals  a  valuable  food  f 

It  is  our  custom  to  use  a  cereal  ^  for  breakfast,  more 
often  than  at  other  meals.  For  this  reason  the  name 
"  breakfast  food  "  is  sometimes  given  to  ground  cereals. 
If  we  have  learned  to  like  these  grain  foods,  we  shall  find 
them  good  for  supper,  and  sometimes  for  the  midday 
meal  as  well. 

If  you  have  read  about  life  in  Scotland,  you  know  that 
oatmeal  in  porridge  is  one  of  the  dishes  on  which  the 
Scotch  grow  strong  and  efficient.  Our  forefathers 
found  the  American  Indians  using  corn ;  and  they 
themselves  learned  to  grind  the  corn  and  to  make  the 
meal  into  **  hasty  pudding,"  or  "  mush,"  over  the  open 
fire,  in  a  kettle  hanging  on  the  crane. 

^  "  Cereal "  is  derived  from  the  Latin  word  "  cerealis,"  pertaining  to 
Ceres,  the  Roman  goddess  of  agriculture. 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST 


157 


Nowadays,  we  use  not  only  the  oatmeal  and  corn 
meal,  but  many  varieties  of  "  flaked  "  and  rolled  grains, 
such  as  wheat,  barley,  and  even  rye.  We  raise  rice  in 
some  of  our  southern  states  ;  this  adds  one  more  valu- 
able food  to  the  wealth  of  our  supply. 


Courtesy  of  Miss  Jessie  D.  Ebert. 
Fig.  70.  —  Cooking  a  cereal  at  the  Big  Tree  School. 

Why  are  cereals  valuable  to  us  ?  Recall  what  was 
said  about  wheat  in  the  lessons  on  bread,  and  you  can 
answer  this  question.  Ground  cereals  are  easy  to  pre- 
pare for  eating,  and  this  makes  them  welcome  in  a  busy 
home. 


158 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Ready  cooked  cereals.  The  ready-to-eat  breakfast 
cereal  is  a  quickly  prepared  food  for  the  first  meal  of  the 
day.  A  few  of  these  are  made  in  clean  places,  but  they 
are  sometimes  manufactured  from  poor  grain.  The 
grit  that  we  sometimes  find,  shows  a  lack  of  cleanliness  in 
the  process.  It  is  a  question,  too,  whether  or  not  the 
starch  has  been  heated  long  enough,  and  whether  these 
prepared  cereals  can  be  chewed  enough  to  make  the  grain 
digestible.  It  is  better  not  to  give  them  to  young  chil- 
dren. For  older  people,  these  prepared  foods  add  variety 
to  the  diet,  but  they  usually  cost  more  than  the  home- 
cooked  breakfast  foods,  even  if  one  counts  the  cost  of  fuel. 
What  happens  to  the  cereal  when  we  cook  it  ?  Taste 
a  grain  of  raw  oatmeal,  and  you  can  mention  several 
changes  that  the  cooking  makes.     The  raw  grain   is 

hard ;  the  cooked 
grain  soft.  You 
notice  a  change  in 
the  flavor ;  and, 
when  you  look  at 
the  cooking  oatmeal, 
you  see  that  it  is 
thickening  as  it 
cooks.      Remember 

Fig.  71.— a  double  boiler  is  used  for  steaming  ^hat  WC  Said  aboUt 
cereals.  The  lower  part  should  be  one  third  the  Starch  in  thc 
full  of  water.  n         1 

potato,  recall  the 
way  in  which  laundry  starch  thickens,  and  you  can  ex- 
plain this  change.     These  changes  are  brought  about 


Courtesy  of  Ohio  ^.j..e  uiuvcrsUy. 

From  Extension  Bulletin,  Vol.  IX,  No.  4. 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST  159 

by  moisture,  heat,  and  time.  Our  great-grandmothers 
made  "  hasty  "  pudding,  but  it  is  better  for  us  to  take 
plenty  of  time  in  cooking  our  grains.  We  find  two  kinds 
of  cereals  on  the  market,  —  the  flaked  and  the  granular. 
Weigh  them,  and  you  find  the  granular  the  heavier. 
Which  will  take  more  water  ?  We  need  enough  water 
to  soften  the  cereal,  but  not  too  much.  If  the  cooked 
cereal  is  very  stiffs,  use  more  water  next  time  ;  if  it  is  too 
thin,  use  less  water. 

Cooking  cereals. 

What  and  how  much,  i  part,  by  measure,  of  flaked  cereal 
to  2  or  3  of  water,  i  part  granular  cereal  to  3  or  4  of  water. 
I  cup  of  dry  cereal  will  serve  three  or  four  people.  Samp, 
cracked  wheat,  and  coarse  corn  meal  will  take  from  4  to  6  parts 
of  water.  Salt.  A  tablespoonful  to  a  quart  of  water  is  an 
average  amount. 

Utensils.     A  measuring  cup;   a  double   boiler;   a  fork. 

A  picture  of  a  double  boiler  is  shown  in  Fig.  71.  Or 
you  can  set  one  saucepan  into  another  larger  one,  puttmg 
something  in  the  bottom  for  the  smaller  pan  to  stand 
upon. 

How  to  make.  Measure  the  cereal  and  water;  put  the 
water  into  the  inner  part  of  the  double  boiler  with  the  salt. 
Have  the  lower  part  of  the  boiler  ready,  about  half  full  of  hot 
water ;  place  the  inner  boiler  directly  upon  the  stove  or  over 
the  flame.  When  the  water  is  boiling  rapidly,  shake  the 
cereal  into  the  water  from  a  cup  so  slowly  that  the  water  does 
not  stop  boiling.  This  is  the  first  secret  of  a  well-cooked 
cereal.  The  rapidly  boiling  water  keeps  the  grains  of  cereal 
in  motion.  Thus  they  do  not  stick  to  the  vessel  nor  to  each 
other,  and  the  heat  reaches  the  starch  in  the  grains  equally. 


i6o  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

If  the  grains  begin  to  settle,  shake  the  vessel  gently ;  but  do 
not  stir,  even  with  a  fork.  Do  this  for  about  five  minutes, 
or  until  you  see  a  thickening  of  the  mass,  —  so  much  that  the 
separate  grains  do  not  settle.  If  toward  the  end  of  this  stage 
there  is  danger  of  sticking,  lift  the  mass  with  the  fork,  but 
do  not  stir  it,  as  stirring  will  break  the  grains.  This  first 
process  opens  the  starch  grains.  Place  the  inner  part  of 
the  boiler  in  the  outer  part  over  boiling  water  and  allow 
the  cooking  to  continue  for  at  least  one  hour.  For  this 
is  the  second  secret  of  the  perfect  cereal^  —  a  long  cooking 
that  softens  the  fiber  and  develops  flavor.  One  cereal, 
advertised  as  being  cooked  in  three  minutes,  is  hardly  eatable 
after  that  length  of  time,  but  is  delicious  at  the  end  of  two 
hours.  If  you  have  a  fireless  cooker,  put  the  cereal,  in  the 
double  boiler,  into  the  cooker  overnight  for  the  second 
stage. 

The  uses  of  cold  cereal. 

Never  throw  away  cooked  cereals.  The  cold  cereal  is 
useful  in  many  ways. 

{a)  Mold  in  small  cups  with  dates  or  other  fruit,  and  serve 
with  sugar  and  cream  for  supper,  —  or  for  luncheon  at 
school. 

{h)  Cool  corn-meal  mush  in  a  flat  dish,  cut  it  in  slices  when 
cold,  and  brown  the  slices  in  a  frying  pan  with  beef  fat,  or  a 
butter  substitute.  Serve  with  sugar,  molasses,  or  sirup  for 
breakfast  or  supper. 

{c)  Rice  or  hominy  may  be  mixed  with  a  beaten  egg, 
molded  into  small  cakes,  and  browned  either  in  the  frying 
pan  or  in  the  oven. 

{d)  A  small  remaining  portion  of  any  cereal  may  be  used 
to  thicken  soup. 

{e)  Ally  cooked  cereal  may  be  used  in  muffins  or  even  in 
»    yeast  bread. 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  i6i 

Using  Indian  corn.  As  Americans  we  should  be  very 
proud  of  our  Indian  corn.  The  early  settlers  found  it 
grown  by  the  Indians.  We  have  improved  it,  learned 
how  to  cultivate  it,  and  made  it  one  of  our  great  crops. 
Have  you  heard  of  the  "  Corn  Clubs,"  for  boys  and  for 
girls,  too  ^  Do  you  know  that  the  same  grain  is  found 
in  other  parts  of  the  world,  where  the  sun  is  hot  enough 
to  ripen  it  ^  It  grows  in  South  America,  and  it  is  an 
abundant  food  in  Italy,  where  the  people  make  a  deli- 
cious porridge,  **  polenta."  What  is  there  more  beauti- 
ful than  a  field  of  waving  corn  ^  It  might  well  be 
planted  for  its  beauty  in  the  flower  garden,  as  it  is  some- 
times in  England. 

Corn  products.  You  can  make  a  list  of  the  different 
kinds  of  corn  and  some  of  the  corn  products,  can  you 
not  ?  Sweet  corn,  popcorn,  and  field  corn,  yellow  and 
white.  The  cattle  would  call  the  stalks  or  leaves  a  corn 
product.  The  poultry  like  their  corn  whole  sometimes. 
We  prefer  meal,  or  hominy,  or  samp.  Have  you  ever 
heard  of  "  hulled  corn  "  .?  This  was  much  used  in  early 
days.  The  hard  ripe  kernels  were  soaked  in  a  weak 
solution  of  lye  (wood  ashes)  until  the  '^  hull  "  came  off, 
and  then  the  whole  grains  were  cooked. 

Something  more  about  corn  meal.  We  have  two 
colors  in  corn  meal,  yellow  and  white.  Some  people 
prefer  one  and  some  the  other.  There  are  also  two 
ways  of  grinding :  the  old  method,  between  stones ; 
and  the  new  process,  by  rollers.  The  old  method  seems 
to  give  a  better  flavor,  because  the  oil  of  the  germ  is  in 


i62  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

the  meal ;  but  the  new  process  meal  keeps  better.  All 
the  old-fashioned  rules  for  cooking  Indian  meal  have  to 
be  changed  for  the  new  kind,  as  the  latter  needs  more 
wetting  and  more  fat  added.  Perhaps  you  know  where 
your  meal  is  ground,  and  can  tell  if  it  is  new  or  old 
fashioned.  If  it  comes  in  a  box  with  a  label,  it  is 
probably  new  process. 

Com  or  Indian  meal  mush. 

How  to  cook.  This  is  cooked  by  the  same  method  as  the 
other  cereals,  except  that  the  amount  of  water  is  larger  and 
the  first  boiHng  should  continue  longer.  The  meal  must  be 
scattered  slowly  into  the  boiling  water,  or  else  be  mixed 
first  with  cold  water,  as  it  lumps  very  easily.  The  second 
stage  of  the  process  should  continue  several  hours. 

A  word  about  rye  and  rye  meal.  We  Americans  are 
forgetting  to  use  rye  as  our  forefathers  used  it.  This 
is  a  great  pity.  Rye  is  a  most  wholesome  grain,  ground 
into  meal  and  made  into  *'  mush."  Mixed  with  corn 
meal  it  gives  us  delicious  yeast  bread  and  quick  breads. 
If  rye  is  raised  in  your  neighborhood,  do  supply  your- 
selves with  rye  meal,  and  use  it.  Rye  flour  is  easier  to 
find  for  sale  than  rye  meal,  but  it  cannot  be  used  in 
quite  the  same  way.  The  rye  flour  will  make  a  yeast 
bread. 

Cooking  rice.  Rice  varies  very  much  in  quality 
and  in  the  shape  of  the  grain.  Louisiana  and  Chinese 
rice  are  among  those  that  have  a  firm  and  large  grain, 
keeping  its  shape  well  when  cooked.     Inferior  varieties 


THE  HOME  BREAKFAST 


163 


become  too  soft,  and  the  finished  product  is  pasty  and 
poor  in  color  and  flavor.     Much  is  said  at  present  about 


From  Hart's  "  Cereals  in  America."    Published  by  the  Orange  JvM  Company. 

Fig.  72.  —  Sections  of  a  rice  kernel:  i,  bran  coat;  2,  aleurone  layer, 
containing  valuable  mineral  salts ;  3,  cells  packed  with  starch  grains ; 
4,  germ,  containing  fat  and  mineral  matter. 

the  harmful  effect  of  the  polishing   process  upon  the 
quality  of  the  rice.     An  unpolished  rice  may  sometimes 


Courtesy  oj  New  York  College  of  Agricultuj-e  at 
Cornell  University. 

Fig.  73.  —  Pure  food  regulations  require  the  dealer 
to  label  coated  rice. 

be  found  on  the  market,  brownish  in  color  and  with  a 
good  flavor. 


i64  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

Boiled  rice. 

Rice  may  be  cooked  in  the  double  boiler  by  the  same 
method  as  other  cereals,  by  allowing  i  part  of  rice  to  3  of 
water.     The  rice  should  be  well  washed  in  cold  water. 

It  will  cook  in  from  three  quarters  of  an  hour  to  an  hour. 
Use  milk  sometimes  in  place  of  half  of  the  water. 

The  Chinese  cook  their  rice  in  this  way.  A  very  large 
amount  of  water  is  used,  —  several  quarts  for  one  cup  of 
rice,  —  and  when  the  water  is  boiling  violently  the  rice  is 
scattered  in  very  slowly.  The  boiling  continues  from  twenty 
minutes  to  half  an  hour,  or  until  the  grains  are  tender.  Then 
the  water  is  drained  off  through  a  colander.  The  rice  in  the 
colander  should  then  be  placed  where  the  remaining  moisture 
will  steam  off.  By  this  method  some  food  value  is  lost,  but 
the  grains  of  the  rice  stand  out  distinctly  and  are  light  and 
dry.  The  grains  should  be  tested  after  boiling  twenty 
minutes  to  see  if  they  are  tender. 

Fruit  and  rice  or  other  cereal.  When  the  rice  is  cooked  in 
the  double  boiler,  add  a  handful  of  stoned  raisins  and  cook 
with  the  rice,  or  add  a  few  soaked  prunes  cut  in  pieces. 

One  morning  Barbara  Oakes  tried  putting  raisins 
with  the  oatmeal.  Once  after  she  had  been  blue- 
berrying  she  put  some  berries  into  the  breakfast  food 
to  surprise  the  family.  Suppose  you  try  some  other 
berry.  Look  back  at  the  lesson  on  fruit  and  see  what 
else  might  go  into  the  hot  cereal. 

Eating  cereaL  We  should  eat  our  cereal  slowly, 
instead  of  bolting  it.  An  easy  way  to  make  oneself  do 
this  is  to  eat  it  with  toast  or  a  cracker. 

When  shall  we  cook  the  cereal  .^  On  account  of  the 
fact  that  cereal  should  be  cooked  a  long  time,  it  is  best 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST 


i6s 


not  to  wait  until  morning  to  cook  it.  In  winter,  when 
the  fire  is  kept  in  overnight,  the  first  cooking  can  be 
done  at  supper  time,  and  the  boiler  left  standing  on 
the  range  or  stove,  at  the  back.     In  summer,  the  cereal 


Courtesy  of  Ohio  State  University.    From  Homemakers'  Reading  Courses,  Vol.  I,  No.  S. 

Fig.  74. — The  breakfast  cereal  may  be  cooked  overnight  in  a  fireless  cooker. 
This  cooker  is  fitted  with  valves  which  permit  the  escape  of  steam,  and 
prevent  water  from  condensing  in  the  cooker. 

can  be  thoroughly  cooked  the  day  before,  and  reheated 
at  breakfast  time.  There  are  still  other  ways.  Have 
you  ever  heard  of  the  fireless  cooker  and  the  Atkinson 
cooker  ?     We  shall  study  these  in  another  lesson. 


EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 


1.  Weigh  a  cup  of  flaked  cereal  and  a  cup  of  granular. 

2.  Make  a  list  of  the  flaked  and  granular  cereals,  that  you 
know  about,  with  the  amount  of  water  for  each  one. 


i66  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

3.  Does  anything  in  your  study  of  physiology  explain  why 
you  should  eat  the  cooked  cereal  slowly  ? 

4.  How  much  corn  meal  shall  you  need  to  make  mush  for  a 
family  of  six  ?     Of  eight  ? 

5.  Weigh  the  contents  of  a  box  of  ready-to-eat  cereal.  Weigh 
the  same  measure  of  oatmeal ;  of  corn  meal ;  of  rice. 

6.  Which  is  the  least  expensive  ?     Can  you  tell  why  ? 

7.  Mollie  Stark  used  one  of  the  recipes  in  this  lesson  with  a 
foamy  sauce  for  dessert  at  dinner  (Lesson  13).  Which  one  did 
she  select  ? 

Lesson  19 

the  value  of  eggs  as  a  food 

What  is  there  for  you  to  learn  about  selling  eggs  and  about 
using  them  at  home  ? 

It  may  be  that  you  help  your  mother  in  raising  poul- 
try, and  sell  the  eggs  ;  and,  of  course,  you  have  enough 
for  home  use,  anyway. 

Eggs  for  market.  There  are  many  pamphlets  printed 
about  poultry  and  eggs  for  profit.  You  may  have  read 
about  the  Poultry  Clubs  in  some  of  our  states,  and  perhaps 
you  are  a  member.  Some  of  these  pamphlets  are  kept  on 
the  book  shelves  at  the  Pleasant  Valley  School,  and  the 
pupils  try  at  home  some  of  the  plans  suggested.  The 
important  things  for  poultry  are  a  clean  house,  clean 
drinking  water,  good  food,  litter  to  scratch  in  for  the 
winter,  a  *'  run  "  for  good  weather  and  for  summer, 
fresh  air,  and  dry  feet.  In  a  tightly  shut  henhouse  we 
cannot  have  healthy  hens  that  will  lay.  They  need 
fresh  air,  but,  as  their  bodies  are  about  eight  degrees 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST 


167 


hotter  than  ours,  they  do  not  need  to  be  kept  warm. 
The  food  that  hens  require  is  very  much  like  our  own ; 
grain,  some  meat  food,  green  stuff,  plus  something  to 
make  the  eggshells   hard.     If  you  want  the  eggs    to 


Courtesy  of  Miss  Laura  B.  Whittemore. 

Fig.  75. — Miss  Field  and  her  flock  of  White  Wyandottes. 


have  the  flavor  that  customers  call  "  perfectly  deli- 
cious," you  must  be  careful  to  give  them  no  table  scraps 
that  have  a  strong  flavor.  Miss  Field,  the  young 
woman  in  Pleasant  Valley  who  sells  eggs,  never  gives 


i68  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

table  scraps  to  her  laying  hens.     She  feeds  the  scraps  to 
the  cockerels  that  will  be  sold  for  broilers. 

Selling  fresh  eggs.     Miss  Field    is   very  careful   to 
send  only  fresh  eggs  to  market.     Her  commission  mer- 


Courtesy  of  Miss  Laura  B.  WhUtemore.  CQurtesy  of  Miss  Laura  B.  WhUtemore. 


Fig.    76.  —  Beauty    Bright.       The  Fig.    77.  —  Jack,    one    of    Miss     Field's 

openings  in  the  houses  are  closed  cocks,  with  his  well-ventilated  house  at 

by  shutters  covered  with  heavy  the  back, 
cotton  cloth. 

chant  wrote  her  that  he  never  tested  her  eggs  because 
he  could  depend  upon  them. 

The  Woman's  Club  asked  Miss  Field  to  give  a  talk 
about  her  poultry  raising  because  they  knew  that  she 
was  practical,  and  that  she  made  it  pay.  She  warned 
them  about  taking  batches  of  eggs  of  all  ages  to  the  store, 
and  reminded  them  that  when  we  buy  eggs  we  do  not 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST  169 

like  to  find  an  old  or  a  cooked  egg  or  a  small  chicken, 
at  thirty  cents  or  more  a  dozen.  Miss  Field  said  that,  if 
there  were  eggs  that  did  not  hatch  in  the  incubator, 
she  always  opened  them,  and  used  them  at  home  if 
they  had  not  spoiled  ;  but  that  she  would  never  think  of 
selling  them.  She  also  said  selling  direct  to  the  con- 
sumer paid  her  better  than  selling  on  commission. 

Eggs  should  be  stored  in  a  cool  place,  and  on  the  way 
to  market  should  be  kept  out  of  the  sun.  The  picture 
(Fig.  78)  shows  that  the  weather  is  hot,  because  the 
family  is  using  an  umbrella,  but  there  is  none  over  the 
eggs  ! 

Another  important  point  is  a  clean  nest  for  the  hen. 
The  shell  of  the  egg  is  porous  ;  so,  if  we  wash  off  the 
dirt,  we  may  hasten  the  spoiling  of  the  egg.  See  if  you 
can  reason  this  out. 

Here  is  one  odd  little  point  about  selling  eggs  that 
Miss  Field  mentioned.  In  some  places  white  eggs 
bring  a  higher  price  ;  in  some  cities,  brown.  You  must 
find  out  about  your  market,  and  choose  the  kind  of  hen 
to  suit.  In  New  York  City  white  eggs  always  are 
quoted  higher  than  brown,  and  cost  more  at  the  grocery  ; 
although,  when  you  sell  direct  to  a  customer,  it  does  not 
seem  to  matter. 

The  cost  of  eggs.  When  we  raise  our  own  food  it 
is  not  easy  to  know  just  what  it  costs  in  money.  If 
we  count  as  the  money  value  of  eggs  what  we  can  get 
for  them,  that  will  help  us  to  compare  them  with  other 
food,  at  least,  and  to  judge  whether  to  eat  all  or  to  sell 


I/O 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


them,  or  to  eat  some  and  sell  some.     Of  course,  they 
do  take  the  place  of  ready  money  sometimes,  and  so 


U.S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Bureau  oj  Animal  Industry. 
Bulletin  141. 

Fig.  78.  —  Taking  eggs  to  market.  Eggs  exposed 
to  the  sun  during  an  eight-mile  drive  at  a  tem- 
perature of  106°. 


we  change  them  for  some  other  kind  of  food.     The 
question  is,  whether  we  do  this  wisely,  always. 
Remember  that  the  food  value  is  as  follows  : 

8  eggs  =  I  quart  good  milk  =  i  pound  steak,  about. 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  171 

If  the  eggs  are  24  cents  per  dozen,  and  the  steak  24 
cents  per  pound/  what  food  value  is  lost  if  you  change 
the  eggs  for  the  steak  ?  Do  you  see  what  money  value 
is  lost,  as  well  ?  Of  course,  the  change  gives  you 
variety.  On  the  other  hand,  when  good  eggs  bring  a 
high  price,  it  is  to  your  advantage  to  sell,  and  use  fewer 
in  cake  and  puddings  at  home.  We  must  remembei 
that  cooked  by  themselves,  and  served  in  place  of  meat, 
they  are  valuable,  especially  for  little  children  and 
invalids. 

Food  value  of  eggs  once  more.  Remember  that  as 
the  tiny  chicken  grows  inside  the  shell,  its  food  is 
there,  with  something  taken  from  the  shell  in  the  way 
of  mineral  matter ;  and  the  baby  chick  comes  from  its 
shell,  quite  well  grown,  with  energy  enough  to  pick  for 
its  next  meal.  Eggs  are  one  of  the  body-building  foods, 
and  for  this  reason  are  good  for  growing  children,  in- 
valids, and  people  who  are  getting  well,  and  who  have 
lost  flesh. 

Are  hard-cooked  eggs  digestible :  Yes,  if  eaten 
properly,  an  egg,  hard  boiled  or  fried,  is  digestible. 
You  need  not  be  afraid  to  serve  fried  eggs  ;  but  you 
must  remember  that  the  hard  tgg  and  the  egg  with  fat 
will  take  longer  to  digest.  So,  if  some  one  at  home  has 
a  rather  feeble  digestion,  a  soft  or  raw  tgg  is  better  than 
the  fried  ;  and  better  for  the  little  children. 

^  Prices  of  steak  per  pound  in  a  country  village,  Connecticut,  August, 
1915  :  Shoulder  steak,  i8  cents;  round,  short,  and  sirloin,  24  cents; 
porterhouse,  32  cents.     "Western'*  beef. 


172  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

What  happens  to  an  egg  when  it  is  cooked  ?  If  you 
break  an  egg  into  a  saucepan  of  cold  water,  and  heat 
the  water  slowly,  what  changes  can  you  see  in  the  egg  ? 
Try  it  and  see.  There  comes  a  change  in  color,  first, 
in  the  white  of  the  egg,  before  the  water  boils  at  all ; 
and  when  the  water  boils,  the  yolk  and  white  become 
hard.  If  you  leave  the  egg  long  enough  in  water  below 
the  boiling  point,  both  the  yolk  and  white  harden,  the 
yolk  being  "  mealy  "  and  the  white  firm  so  that  it  can 
be  cut.  The  cooking  does  not  change  the  food  value  of 
the  egg. 

What  do  you  gather  from  this  little  study  of  the 
cooking  egg  .^ 

If  you  want  an  egg  to  be  jelly-like,  it  must  be  cooked 
below  the  boiling  point  of  water.  If  you  like  it  firmer, 
cook  it  in  boiling  water,  without  being  afraid  that  it 
will  be  indigestible.  This  is  the  latest  advice  from 
scientific  people. 

Beating  eggs.  How  convenient  it  is  that  the  white 
of  egg  is  elastic,  and  that  we  can  stretch  it  by  beating, 
and  can  catch  the  air  in  it,  and  use  the  air  for  making 
muffins  and  cakes  ''  light."  The  yolk  becomes  creamy  ; 
a  bit  of  yolk  in  the  white  will  keep  the  white  from  being 
stiffs.  Can  you  break  an  tgg  and  drop  the  white  in  a 
bowl  without  a  speck  of  the  yolk  } 

There  is  one  other  important  point  about  the  yolk 
and  the  white.  Do  you  know  how  the  yolk  hangs  in 
the  shell }  By  a  string.  Look  for  the  string.  Do  you 
know  why  the  hen  turns  the  egg  over  }     If  the  tgg  lies 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST  173 

on  one  side,  the  yolk  drops.  If  the  egg  is  shaken,  the 
string  breaks,  and  so  when  we  send  eggs  by  mail  or 
express  they  must  be  firmly  packed. 

Some  other  materials  to  be  used  with  eggs  for  break- 
fast and  other  meals.  We  have  spoken  of  dried  beef  in 
Lesson  17.  If  the  meat  for  hash  is  rather  too  small  in 
quantity,  put  the  chopped  meat  with  some  bread  crumbs 
in  the  bottom  of  a  baking  dish,  break  enough  eggs  to 
cover  on  top  of  the  meat,  and  set  the  dish  in  the  oven. 
Eggs  can  be  made  into  dishes  with  potato,  or  bread  or 
bread  crumbs,  with  cold  meat,  fish,  and  cheese. .  Look 
back  at  the  lesson  on  scalloped  dishes,  and  plan  an  egg 
scallop  for  breakfast  or  supper,  with  what  you  have  left 
in  the  house  from  dinner. 

Eating  raw  eggs.  A  good  quick  lunch.  An  tgg, 
swallowed  whole,  followed  by  a  cracker,  is  a  "  quick 
lunch  "  that  is  wholesome  ;  and  it  is  sometimes  con- 
venient to  be  able  to  take  an  egg  in  this  way.  A 
sprinkling  of  salt  upon  it  makes  it  taste  better. 

Whipped  eggs. 

fFhat  and  how  much. 

I  egg 

I  teaspoonful  of  sugar 

a  shake  of  salt 

some  flavoring 

f  cup  of  milk 

How  to  make.  Beat  the  yolk  and  white  separately.  Add 
to  the  yolk  a  teaspoonful  of  sugar,  a  shake  of  salt,  some 
flavoring,  and  J  of  a  cup  of  milk.     Beat  the  white  gently 


174  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

into  this  mixture  and  serve  in  a  glass.  The  flavoring  may  be 
a  quarter  of  a  teaspoonful  of  vanilla,  or  a  tablespoonful 
of  orange  juice.  This  is  sometimes  served  to  an  invalid 
who  can  take  milk,  and  is  an  agreeable  luncheon  for  any  one. 
If  milk  does  not  agree  with  one,  a  larger  amount  of  fruit 
juice  may  be  used  with  the  addition  of  some  water,  possibly 
carbonated.  The  white  alone  is  given  in  cases  of  severe  ill- 
ness, mixed  with  a  small  amount  of  water  and  fruit  juice, 
if  the  physician  permits  the  latter.  This  is  sometimes  the 
only  food  that  can  be  retained  by  an  invalid. 

Jellied  or  coddled  eggs. 

See  that  the  shells  are  whole  and  clean.  If  the  eggs  are 
just  taken  from  the  refrigerator,  lay  them  in  warm  water 
a  few  minutes.  Make  ready  a  double  boiler,  with  the 
lower  part  half  full  of  boiling  water.  Put  the  number 
of  eggs  that  you  wish  to  use  into  the  inner  boiler.  Cover 
with  water  that  has  just  stopped  boiling.  Put  on  the  boiler 
cover.  Stand  the  boiler  where  the  water  below  will  no  longer 
boil.     The  eggs  will  be  done  in  from  six  to  eight  minutes. 

See  if  you  can  think  of  another  way  of  doing  this  same 
experiment. 

Boiled  eggs. 

Put  one  egg  at  a  time  from  a  tablespoon  into  boiling  water. 
Allow  the  water  to  boil  for  three  or  four  minutes,  depending 
upon  the  preference  of  those  served.  Remove  the  eggs,  and 
serve  at  once. 

The  hard-hoiled  egg  should  remain  in  the  boiling  water 
half  an  hour. 

Poached  eggs. 

Make  ready  a  frying  pan  by  setting  muffin  rings  in  it  and 
filling  it  about  half  full  of  gently  simmering  water,  with  a 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST  175 

teaspoonful  of  salt  dissolved  in  it.  Break  the  eggs  one  at  a 
time  into  a  saucer,  and  slip  each  egg  carefully  into  a  muffin 
ring.  See  that  the  pan  stands  where  the  water  is  just  below 
the  boiling  point,  for  rapidly  bubbling  water  breaks  the  eggs. 
When  the  white  begins  to  set,  pour  the  hot  water  gently 
over  the  tops  of  the  eggs  from  a  spoon.  Cook  until  the 
white  is  firm.  Slip  a  griddlecake  turner  under  the  egg, 
lift  it  gently,  and  place  it  upon  a  piece  of  buttered  toast 
which  you  have  ready  on  a  hot  plate  or  platter,  and  remove 
the  ring. 

An  easier  method,  resembling  the  poached  egg,  is  to  break 
the  egg  raw  into  a  small  buttered  cup  or  "patty,"  standing 
the  cups  in  a  pan  of  water  just  below  the  boiling  point,  the 
pan  being  on  the  top  of  the  stove  or  in  the  oven.  Each  egg 
should  have  a  sprinkling  of  salt,  and  may  have  a  bit  of  butter, 
and.  a  shake  of  pepper.  Cover  the  pan.  This  process  is 
longer  than  the  other,  and  the  eggs  must  be  watched  to  see 
when  the  process  is  complete. 

Baked  eggs. 

This  has  already  been  suggested  with  chopped  meat.  The 
eggs  can  be  baked  with  bread  crumbs  only,  in  a  buttered  baking 
dish  with  crumbs  underneath  and  above.  Sprinkle  on  some 
grated  cheese  before  baking,  or  lay  on  thin  slices  of  cheese, 
and  you  have  a  "hearty"  breakfast  dish. 

Preserving  eggs  for  winter  use.  When  the  hens 
are  laying  well,  and  eggs  are  cheap,  it  is  a  good  plan 
to  store  away  some  for  use  later.  Since  the  shells 
are  porous,  eggs  take  the  taste  of  sawdust  or  of  any- 
thing in  which  they  are  placed  that  has  a  taste  or  a 
smell.     For  this  reason  we  must  coat  eggs  to  keep  them. 


176 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Even  in  cold  storage,  eggs  change  flavor  after  a 
while ;  and,  of  course,  we  never  sell  preserved  eggs 
as  fresh  eggs.  The  easiest  way  is  to  pack  the  eggs 
down  in  coarse  salt,  but  water  glass  is  the  better  pre- 
servative. 

Buy  the  water  glass  at  the  druggist's.     With  it  make 
a  mixture  with  water,  one  tenth  water  glass  to  nine 


1^,  ^^ 


Courtesy  of  Kaiherlne  E.  BraUhwaUe. 
Fig.  79. —  Sallie  and  her  White  Wyandotte  babies. 

tenths  water.  Use  large  stone  jars.  Fill  the  jars  with 
the  eggs,  selecting  those  without  cracks  ;  pour  the  solu- 
tion over  them  ;  cover  the  jar,  and  set  it  away  in  a  cool 
place.  This  costs  only  a  fraction  of  a  cent  for  each  egg. 
The  eggs  when  taken  out  must  be  thoroughly  washed 
before  cooking.  The  flavor  is  good,  but  it  is  dishonest 
to  sell  them  as  fresh-laid  eggs. 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST  177 

EXERCISES   AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  What  do  you  know  to  be  good  for  your  poultry  at  home  ? 

2.  Why  is  it  necessary  to  coat  or  cover  eggs  in  order  to  preserve 
them  ? 

3.  Compare  the  cost  of  eggs  and  meat  in  your  town,  and  see 
which  is  more  economical  to  use. 

4.  Do  you  know  how  to  "candle"  eggs,  and  what  does  the  can- 
dling show  ? 

5.  Can  you  explain  to  any  one  who  asks  you  the  difference  in 
digestibility  between  a  raw  egg  and  a  hard-boiled  egg  ? 

Lesson  20 
quick  breads 
How  can  we  make  and  serve  quick  breads  ? 

"  Quick  "  breads  may  be  mixed  and  baked  the  day 
before,  and  warmed  over  for  breakfast. 

Quick  breads  take  less  time  in  the  making  than  yeast 
bread.  Then,  too,  we  hke  a  change  in  our  bread  foods. 
Mollie  Stark's  grandmother  could  remember  seeing 
baking  done  in  the  brick  oven  once  a  week.  A  fire  was 
made  inside  the  oven,  the  ashes  were  swept  out  when 
the  fire  died  down,  and  the  food  was  cooked  when  the 
bricks  or  stones  of  the  oven  had  cooled  a  little.  Cake 
and  pies  were  baked  first ;  then,  white  bread  ;  and  last 
of  all  the  brown  bread,  beans,  and  Indian  pudding  were 
put  in,  to  be  taken  out  for  Sunday  morning  breakfast. 
(Frontispiece.)  This  baking  was  an  important  event  and 
took  all  day ;  enough  cake,  pies,  and  bread  were  baked 
for  a  week.     How  convenient,  then,  between  times  to 


178  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

bake  johnnycake  or  hoecake  on  a  board  before  the  open 
fire,  or  to  make  quick  biscuit  with  sour  milk  and  salera- 
tus  and  to  bake  them  in  the  bake  kettle  that  stood  over 
the  glowing  coals  with  other  coals  of  wood  put  on  top 
of  the  iron  cover.  Mrs.  Stark,  the  grandmother,  was 
delighted  when  Miss  James  asked  her  one  day  to  show 
the  cooking  class  how  to  make  a  johnnycake  like  that 
she  used  to  eat  in  her  old  home  in  Rhode  Island.  There 
they  use  white  corn  meal,  as  people  are  likely  to  do  in 
the  South,  and  the  johnnycake  is  something  like  the 
southern  hoecake.  The  class  went  one  afternoon  to 
the  pleasant  old  homestead,  where  the  grandmother 
was  one  of  the  happiest  and  busiest  members  of  the 
household.  Mrs.  Stark  explained  that  the  name  johnny- 
cake is  given  to  different  corn-meal  breads  in  different 
places,  and  that  she  is  always  careful  to  explain  that 
hers  are  : 

Old-fashioned  Rhode  Island  johnnycakes. 

What.     White  (or  yellow)  corn  meal,  boiling  water,  and  salt. 

How  much.  Mrs.  Stark  says  that  it  is  of  no  use  to  try 
to  give  exact  measures,  because  different  kinds  of  meal  take 
up  different  quantities  of  water.  There  must  be  enough 
water  to  soften  the  meal  so  that  it  will  drop  from  a  large 
spoon,  but  not  run  out. 

Utensils.  A  bowl  and  spoon,  and  a  griddle,  with  a  broad 
knife  for  turning  the  cakes. 

How  to  make.  Mix  the  salt  with  the  meal  in  the  bowl. 
Pour  on  the  boiling  water.  Mrs.  Stark  poured  it  from  the 
teakettle,  but  said  that  you  could  pour  it  from  a  saucepan. 
She  stirred  the  meal  with  one  hand,  holding  the  kettle  in  the 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST  179 

other,  pouring  on  the  water  until  the  meal  was  all  softened 
but  not  very  wet.  Perhaps  you  can  find  somebody's  grand- 
mother to  show  you  how. 

The  griddle  was  hot  and  greased  with  beef  fat. 

Mrs.  Stark  dropped  a  large  spoonful  at  a  time  upon  the 
hot  griddle,  and  with  a  knife  made  each  cake  into  a  smooth 
oval  about  \  inch  thick.  She  let  the  cakes  brown  on  one  side 
and  then  on  the  other.  Then  she  set  the  griddle  on  the  back 
of  the  stove,  where  the  cakes  would  cook  slowly.  At  the  end 
of  about  half  an  hour,  each  cake  had  two  crisp,  brown  crusts, 
easily  split  apart  with  a  knife,  ready  to  be  buttered  and  eaten. 
While  the  cakes  were  cooking,  Mrs.  Stark  told  stories  of  old 
days ;  and,  when  the  cakes  were  eaten,  the  girls  all  declared 
that  they  were  sweeter  and  better  than  popcorn,  and  that 
they  couldn't  be  better  baked  on  a  board ;  but  Mrs.  Stark  in- 
sisted that  they  were.  She  explained  that  the  johnnycake 
is  more  digestible  than  a  more  quickly  cooked  griddlecake, 
on  account  of  the  longer  cooking. 

An  exhibit  of  quick  breads.  Miss  James  suggested 
that  the  Pleasant  Valley  School  should  have  an  exhibit 
of  their  home  work,  and  that  muffins  and  biscuits, 
among  other  things,  would  keep  fresh  long  enough  to 
look  well.  Here  are  a  few  of  the  rules  that  they  used 
for  their  quick  breads  : 

Popovers  or  puflf overs. 

What  and  how  much. 

Flour  I  pint 

Milk  I  pint 

Eggs  1  3 

Salt  \  teaspoonful 

^  Some  rules  give  two  eggs  only. 


i8o  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Utensils.     For  baking,  heavy  earthen  cups,  hot  and  greased. 

How  to  make.  Sift  together  the  salt  and  flour.  Stir  to- 
gether the  milk  and  eggs.  Pour  these  slowly  into  the  flour, 
stirring  and  beating  as  you  go. 

Special  points.  The  liquid  must  be  poured  very  slowly  into 
the  flour  to  prevent  lumping.  A  large  Dover  egg  beater  is 
convenient  for  beating  out  lumps,  if  any  occur. 

It  is  the  steam  formed  in  baking  that  lightens  the  pufFovers, 
and  the  mixture  should  be  stirred  only  long  enough  to  make  it 
smooth.  The  mixture  can  stand  overnight,  and  still  make 
light  pufFovers  in  the  morning. 

Pour  the  batter  in  the  hot  cups,  having  each  cup  two  thirds 
full.  For  baking,  the  popovers  should  be  put  into  an  in- 
tensely hot  oven  for  the  first  stage  of  the  baking  —  and  then 
the  oven  must  be  cooled.  This  first  stage  crusts  the  top ;  then 
the  force  of  the  steam  pushes  upthetop;  and  the  muffin  "pops" 
or  *'  puflFs"  over.  The  more  moderate  heat  cooks  the  sides  and 
the  bottom,  and  makes  an  agreeable  crust.  The  perfect  puflP- 
over  is  hollow.  Three  quarters  of  an  hour  is  the  average  time 
of  baking.  If  at  the  end  of  that  time  the  oven  door  is  set  ajar, 
and  the  popovers  allowed  to  remain  longer,  they  are  improved, 
coming  from  the  oven  stiff  and  crisp  with  a  rich  brown  color, 
rather  than  soft  and  underdone.  Serve  sometimes  with  a 
pudding  sauce  as  a  dessert,  or  open  and  fill  with  stewed  fruit. 


Muffins. 

What  and  how  much. 

Flour 

I  pint 

Baking  powder 

3  teaspoonfuls 

Salt 

1  teaspoonful 

Eggs 

2  or  I 

Milk 

i\  cup 

Butter  or  butter  substitute 

I  tablespoonful 

Sugar,  if  desired 

I  tablespoonful 

THE   HOME   BREAKFAST 


i8i 


Utensils.  For  baking  use  greased  muffin  pan.  Bake  half 
an  hour. 

How  to  make.  Sift  together  the  dry  ingredients.  Beat  the 
eggs,  without  separating  the  yolk  and  white,  and  stir  the  eggs 
and  milk  together.  Pour  the  liquid  gradually  into  the  flour, 
first  stirring,  then  beating.  Melt  the  butter  or  other  shorten- 
ing, and  beat  it 
into  the  batter. 

This  recipe  may 
be  varied  in  many 
ways : 

{a)  Use  i  cup 
cooked  cereal  in 
place  of  an  equal 
quantity    of  flour. 

Will  you  change 
the  amount  of  wet- 
ting } 

(b)  One  cup  fine  white  corn  meal,  or  J  cup  yellow  meal, 
may  be  used  in  place  of  equal  quantities  of  flour.  Corn  meal 
absorbs  more  water  than  white  flour. 

What  change  in  the  wetting } 

The  oven  should  be  the  temperature  for  bread,  and  the 
baking  at  least  f  of  an  hour. 

(c)  One  cup  graham  or  rye  meal  may  be  used  in  place  of 
an  equal  quantity  of  flour. 

Baking  powder  or  sour  milk  and  soda  biscuit. 


Courtesy  of  Department  of  Foods  and  Cookery, 
Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 


Fig.  8o.  —  A    plate 


of   muffins 
supper. 


for   breakfast   or 


What  and  how  much. 
Flour 

Baking  powder 
Salt 

Butter  or  butter  substitute 
Milk 


I  pmt 

3  teaspoonfuls 

J  teaspoonful 

I  or  2  tablespoonfuls 

I  scant  cup 


l82 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


If  you  use  sour  milk  and  soda,  take  a  scant  teaspoonful  of 
soda. 

Utensils.  For  shaping,  use  molding  board,  rolling  pin,  and 
biscuit  cutter. 

For  baking,  use  an  iron  sheet  or  pan  sprinkled  with  flour. 
Test  the  oven  with  a  ten-second  count  or  golden  brown  paper,  in 

five  minutes.  This  

would  be  about 
425°  F.  Bake  from 
twenty  minutes 
to  half  an  hour. 

How  to  make. 
Sift  together  the 
dry  ingredients. 
Cut  in  or  chop  in 
the  butter.  Add 
the  wetting  slowly. 

To  shape.  Dust 
the  board  with 
flour,  turn  out  the 
dough,  dredge  with 

flour,  pat  into  a  firm  mass,  and  then  pat  or  lightly  roll  out  to 
I  inch  thickness.  Cut  out  with  a  cutter  dipped  in  flour.  (A 
small  glass  or  the  top  of  a  round  tin  can  may  be  used.) 

It  saves  time  to  mix  the  biscuit  soft  enough  to  drop  from 
a  spoon. 

Variations.  Add  i  egg.  This  makes  a  delicious  biscuit. 
Sprinkle  the  top  with  granulated  sugar,  and  spice.  Dried 
currants,  washed  and  dredged  with  flour,  may  be  laid  on  the 
top. 

Increase  the  butter  to  two  or  three  tablespoonfuls  and  de- 
crease the  wetting;  the  mixture  becomes  shortcake.  This  is 
the  mixture  to  use  for  the  true  strawberry  shortcake.  Many 
other  fruits  may  be  used,  both  uncooked  and  cooked.      , 


Fig. 


Courtesy  of  Dtpartment  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College, 
Columbia  University. 

81. — A  plate  of  baking  powder  biscuit,  light 
and  baked  well. 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  183 

The  class  had  learned  how  to  grease  their  muffin  pans 
and  cups  neatly,  to  fill  each  little  pan  or  cup  half  full, 
and  to  bake  them  in  a  quicker  oven  than  for  loaf  bread. 

A  table  for  baking  will  be  found  on  page  296. 

We  shall  not  learn  to  bake  prop^erly  until  we  have 
thermometers  for  our  ovens ;  no  other  test  can  be 
exact.  A  good  general  rule  in  baking  is*  this :  with 
batters  and  doughs,  the  larger  the  portion,  the  slower 
the  oven.  A  cooky  can  be  baked  in  a  "  quicker,"  or 
hotter,  oven  than  a  muffin,  and  a  muffin  or  small  cake  in 
a  quicker  oven  than  a  loaf.  Cakes  that  have  many 
eggs  in  them,  like  sponge  cake  and  angel  cake  made 
only  with  the  whites,  are  more  tender  baked  in  a  slow 
oven.  The  reason  for  this  you  will  understand  because 
we  have  studied  the  egg  in  Lesson  19. 

On  the  day  of  the  exhibit  the  quick  breads  were 
prettily  displayed  upon  plates  on  a  long  table,  and  the 
recipes  were  written,  on  the  board.  Miss  Travers  was 
there  ;  but  before  she  began  her  talk,  the  pupils  them- 
selves performed  the  experiments  given  in  Marjorie's 
notebook,  page  298,  and  gave  little  talks  themselves 
about  baking  powder.  One  girl  talked  while  another 
performed  the  experiment,  and  what  they  said  was 
something  like  this  : 

Making  quick  breads  light.  We  can  do  this,  partly, 
by  beating  air  into  eggs  and  putting  the  eggs  into  the 
batter.  In  popovers  the  steam  puffs  up  the  crust. 
But  why  do  we  use  sour  milk  and  soda,  or  molasses  and 
soda,  or  cream  of  tartar  and  soda,  or  baking  powder  ^ 


i84  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Agnes  Groves  will  pour  some  boiling  water  on  a  mixture 
of  cream  of  tartar  and  soda.  See  how  it  bubbles  !  If 
we  catch  the  gas  in  a  small  bottle  and  touch  a  match 
to  it,  see,  —  the  match  goes  out.  It  is  carbon  dioxide  gas. 
Here  is  a  saucer  that  held  a  teaspoonful  of  cream  of 
tartar  and  ^  teaspoonful  of  soda  dissolved  in  water,  and 
the  water  has  evaporated.  See  the  white  powder  left 
behind.  It  does  not  taste  like  the  cream  of  tartar  nor 
the  soda ;  and  you  could  never  guess  what  it  is  !  It  is 
Rochelle  salts  ;  and  so  every  time  we  eat  a  biscuit  made 
light  with  cream  of  tartar,  we  take  a  little  dose  of 
Rochelle  salts. ^ 

This  is  what  the  chemists  say :  whenever  you  put 
soda,  or  bicarbonate  of  soda,  with  an  acid,  this  gas  is 
formed,  and  some  substance  is  left  behind  in  the  food,  — 
one  kind  of  thing  from  sour  milk,  another  from  cream 
of  tartar,  and  so  on.  Some  of  the  best  baking  powders 
are  made  with  cream  of  tartar  and  soda  with  a  little 
starch  mixed  in  to  keep  the  two  substances  from  work- 
ing on  each  other.  An  acid  phosphate  powder  also  is 
on  the  market. 

The  Mothers'  Club  and  other  guests  were  much 
pleased  with  the  little  talks  and  the  experiments.  Then 
Miss  Travers  was  ready  to  answer  questions.  Here  are 
a  few  of  them  : 

Question.     What  kind  of  baking  powder  would  you  buy  ? 
Answer.     Not  the  cheapest,  for  they  may  have  alum  instead  of 
cream  of  tartarj  and  too  much  starch  or  flour. 

1  Rochelle  salts  is  a  medicine. 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  185 

Question.     Is  it  cheaper  to  buy  or  to  make  the  baking  powder  ? 

Answer.  It  may  cost  a  little  less  to  make  it,  but  in  the  factory, 
where  it  is  put  up,  everything  is  weighed  exactly  and  thoroughly 
mixed;   you  get  a  better  product  and  it  is  just  as  economical. 

Question.     Isn't  quick  bread  just  as  wholesome  as  yeast  bread  ? 

Answer.  Not  when  it  is  eaten  just  baked,  and  not  for  all  the 
time. 

Question.  But  people  always  want  quick  breads  hot.  What 
can  you  do  ? 

Answer.  Try  reheating  them.  This  makes  the  crust  a  little 
crisper,  and  the  crumb  drier,  and  less  pasty  to  be  digested.  Then, 
this  saves  work  at  the  time  of  the  meal,  often.  If  they  seem  too 
dry,  moisten  the  crust  a  little  before  reheating  in  the  oven. 

Question.  I  used  some  canned  molasses  with  soda  for  my  gin- 
gerbread, and  the  bread  was  heavy.   •  What  was  the  matter  ? 

Answer.  Canned  molasses  has  no  acid  in  it,  and  you  should  use 
baking  powder  with  it. 

The  exhibit  was  ended  by  serving  the  quick  breads 
and  simple  cakes  with  cocoa  for  refreshment.  Some 
of  the  biscuits  were  used  for  Uttle  shortcakes  ;  that  is, 
were  split  and  filled  with  some  fruit  that  the  girls  had 
canned.  Thin  baking-powder  biscuit  make  very  nice 
sandwiches  to  serve  at  any  entertainment. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Try  the  experiments  on  page  298. 

2.  Explain  how  baking  powder  makes  a  batter  light. 

3.  Explain  why  pufFovers  do  pufF  over. 

4.  Make  tests  with  pieces  of  white  paper,  and  paste  them  in 
your  cook  book,  with  the  time  against  each  one. 

5.  Explain  why  an  oven  for  cookies  can  be  hotter  than  for  a 
loaf. 


i86  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


Lesson   21 


THE    KITCHEN 


How  can  we  make  the  kitchen  comfortable  and  pretty,  pleasant 
to  work  in  for  breakfast,  dinner,  or  supper  ? 

One  warm,  pleasant  day,  when  the  girls'  club  had  its 
meeting  at  Marjorie  Allen's  home,  one  of  the  members 
who  went  into  the  kitchen  to  help  make  the  lemonade, 
exclaimed : 

"  Isn't  this  the  pleasantest  room  in  the  whole 
house  ? " 

Is  our  own  kitchen  at  home  so  comfortable  and  at- 
tractive that  our  friends  can  say  something  like  this  ? 

The  Pleasant  Valley  girls  had  the  chance  to  furnish 
a  kitchen,  beginning  with  the  walls  and  floor,  in  the 
Ellen  H.  Richards  House  (page  289)  ;  but  at  home  we 
seldom  can  do  so  much  as  this.  However,  if  we  have  a 
plan,  we  can  do  one  new  thing  at  a  time,  and  make 
changes  slowly.  If  our  kitchen  is  small,  it  saves  steps  ; 
if  it  is  large,  it  is  airy ;  and  in  either  case  we  will  make 
the  best  of  it. 

"  May-haves  "  and  "  must-haves  "  in  the  kitchen. 
We  may  have  the  kitchen  pretty  and  we  must  have  it 
clean  ;  and  it  ought  to  be  convenient  in  saving  steps  and 
in  making  the  work  easier  to  do. 

A  pretty  kitchen.  Marjorie  Allen  persuaded  her 
mother  to  let  her  help  plan  the  doing  over  of  the 
kitchen.  They  put  a  soft  shade  of  buff  paint  on  the 
wall,  because  paint  is  cleaner   than    paper ;    and   the 


THE  HOME  BREAKFAST 


187 


Drawn  by  La  Mont  A.  Warner. 

Fig.  82.  —  "  Isn't  this  the  pleasantest  room  in  the  whole  house  ?  "     A  corner  of 
Mrs.  Allen's  kitchen. 

floor  was  painted  brown.  Mrs.  Allen  had  made  a 
braided  mat,  in  the  winter  days  and  evenings,  of  soft 
brown  and  buff  with  a  touch  of  blue  in  it.     There  was  a 


Brawn  by  La  Mont  A .  Warner. 

Fig.  83. — Another  corner  of  Mrs.  Allen's  kitchen.     Mrs.  Allen  made  a  braided 
mat  in  the  winter  days. 

188 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  189 

dull  blue-and-white  cushion  in  a  rocking  chair,  and  some 
old-fashioned  blue-and-white  dishes  on  the  shelf.  The 
window  shelf  at  the  south  window  held  some  plants ; 
and  they  planned  to  have  a  vine  outside  this  window  for 
shade  in  summer. 

A  clean  kitchen.  In  speaking  of  beauty,  we  are  not 
able  to  leave  out  the  thought  of  having  things  that  are 
easily  cleaned,  you  see.  A  woven  "  rag,"  or  braided, 
mat  can  be  taken  outdoors,  scrubbed  with  a  brush  and 
soapsuds,  and  rinsed  with  clear  water  thrown  on  from 
a  pail  or  hose  ;  or  can  be  washed  in  a  tub.^  It  is  a  good 
rule  to  have  nothing  in  any  part  of  the  kitchen  that  is 
not  washable. 

The  floor.  It  may  be  smoothed  off,  and  painted  or 
oiled.  A  floor  covering  that  is  expensive  at  first,  but  that 
lasts  for  many  years,  is  an  inlaid  linoleum  or  cork  car- 
pet ;  it  is  warm  and  soft  to  the  feet,  keeps  out  damp,  and 
is  easy  to  keep  clean.  This  is  something  for  which  to 
save  up  money,  if  you  believe  in  cleanliness  and  com- 
fort. Begin  with  having  it  in  the  pantry.  Let  it  lie 
on  the  floor  to  stretch  from  use  for  a  month  or  two ; 
then  cement  it  along  the  edges.  This  ought  to  keep 
out  mice  and  ants. 

The  walls.  Paint  is  the  very  cleanest  and  best  finish. 
It  costs  less  in  the  end  than  paper  because  it  lasts  longer. 

The  sink.  Whatever  the  sink  is  made  of,  have  it 
open  underneath.     This  is  the  only  way  to  be  sure  that 

^  Rag  rugs  and  strips  are  in  fashion  again.  Mollie  Stark's  grand- 
mother makes  them  for  her  friends. 


I90  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

it  is  really  clean  around  the  sink.  If  there  is  a  closet 
underneath,  it  may  be  damp,  and  we  may  "  tuck  away  " 
things,  and  then  feel  too  tired  to  clean  the  closet  out. 

Here  is  a  picture  (Fig.  84)  of  a  sink  hung  from  the 
wall.  This  is  made  of  enameled  iron.  If  the  sink  is 
hung  in  this  way,  it  can  be  placed  high  enough  so  that 
Mother's  back  is  in  proper  position.     On  page  136  is  a 


Courtesy  of  J.  Mott  Co. 

Fig.  84.  — An  enameled  iron  sink  hung  from  the  wall. 

picture  of  a  sink  that  is  too  low.  When  the  sink  rests 
upon  legs,  these  come  of  a  standard  height,  incon- 
venient, and  harmful  for  tall  people.  If  you  have  a 
wooden  sink,  plan  to  change  it  for  something  else  as 
soon  as  you  can.     Plain  iron  is  better  than  wood. 

Saving  steps.  One  day,  after  school,  Marjorie  Allen 
with  a  foot  rule  in  her  hand  began  to  follow  her  mother 
round  the  kitchen,  measuring  her  footsteps  behind  her, 
instead  of  helping  with  the  supper  as  usual.     Then  she 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST 


191 


OINING  ROOM 

V 


TABLE 


/\         V 


'•ry    RANTRY 

/ 
/ 


A' 


U.  S.  Deparimeni  of  Agricvlture,  Farmers' 
Bidletin,  No.  607. 

—  A  large    kitchen   with    incon- 
venient arrangement. 


drew  a  plan  of  the  kitchen, 

with  Unes  to  show  where 

and  how  far  her  mother 

walked  in  getting  supper, 

Hke  Fig.  85.     Mrs.  Allen 

was  amused  at  first,  but, 

when    Marjorie   told    her 

how     many     miles     she 

traveled  a  year,  she  was 

interested  ;  and  after  sup- 
per, they  all  sat  down  to 

calculate  what    could    be 

saved  by  changing  some  Fig.  85. 

things  in  the  kitchen.     All 

the  girls  had  been  reading  at  school  the  bulletin  about 

the  Home  Kitchen  ;  ^  and, 
although  Miss  James 
warned  them  not  to  trouble 
their  mothers  that  night  by 
turning  the  kitchen  "topsy- 
turvy," they  could  hardly 
wait  until  Saturday  to  try 
some  change.  See  if  you 
can  save  steps  by  changing 
movable  things  about  at 
home  ;  of  course,  if  your 
mother  is  willing. 

^  See  U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture, Farmers'  Bulletin,  No.  607. 


DINING  R»OM 


A 


-Z>^/ 


— 1 


.-:^ 


U.S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Farmers' 
Bulletin,  No.  607. 

Fig.  86.  —  The  same  kitchen  has  been 
improved. 


.192  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

A  kitchen  cabinet.  You  are  fortunate  if  you  have  a 
large  and  well-aired  pantry  for  keeping  food  ;  but  it 
saves  time  and  strength  to  have  some  materials  at  hand 
all  the  time. 

When  Marjorie  began  to  talk  about  buying  a  cabinet, 
her  brothers  decided  to  make  something  that  would  do 
nearly  as  well.  Figure  83  shows  what  they  did  in  the 
way  of  putting  shelves  around  the  kitchen  table.  The 
flour  and  sugar  are  near  by,  you  see  ;  and  all  the  little 
things,  too.  Then  they  put  casters  on  another  smaller 
table,  and  nailed  on  strips  of  wood  around  the  top.  This 
was  for  running  dishes  and  food  in  and  out  of  the  dining 
room,  kitchen,  and  pantry  ;  for  their  rooms  were  large. 

Cooking  utensils.  For  good  work  you  need  a  few  well- 
selected  utensils.  Enameled  ware  and  aluminum  are 
among  the  more  expensive  kinds,  but  both  are  service- 
able. Steel  or  iron  are  materials  that  wear  well  and  are 
useful  in  frying  pans  especially.  There  is  nothing 
better  than  a  well-worn  iron  spider  which  has  become 
perfectly  smooth  from  years  of  use.  If  you  have  one 
of  these  that  you  think  of  throwing  away  because  the 
under  part  is  encrusted  with  a  black  covering,  give  the 
pan  a  thorough  boiling  in  a  solution  of  lye,  washing 
soda,  or  soft  soap,  and  then  keep  it  among  your  kitchen 
treasures. 

Water  in  the  kitchen.  John  Stark  said  on  another 
day :  "  Father,  I  want  to  talk  to  you  seriously.  What 
would  you  think  of  going  without  the  addition  to  the 
barn  another  year,  and  having  a  force  pump  in  the  cellar 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST 


193 


Courtesy  0/  New  York  State  College  of  AgrUMture  at  Cornell  University. 
Fig.  87.  —  For  good  work  you  need  a  few  well-selected  kitchen  utensils. 


SO  that  mother  can  have  hot  and  cold  running  water  in 
the  kitchen,  and  we  all  can  have  a  bathroom  ?  "  What 
do  you  think  his  father  said  ?  He  was  a  little  doubtful 
about  the  school  where  they  studied  such  things  ;  then 
he  remembered  that  at  the  Farmers'  Institute  he  had 
heard  another  farmer  talk  about  just  this  thing.  And 
what  did  he  do  ?  He  wrote  to  the  State  University  and 
asked  for  advice  about  water  on  the  farm.  They  gave 
him  some  practical  help,  and  now  the  Stark  home  has 
a  good  water  supply. 

Running  water,  what  a  blessing !  If  you  have  a 
spring  of  good  water  on  high  land  and  the  water  can  be 
piped  into  the  house,  you  are  wealthy.  Sometimes, 
several  neighbors  can  do  this  together.     Happy  is  the 


194 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


small  town  that  has  a  pure  supply  and  can  pipe  it  into 

the  village ! 

What  are  some  simpler  methods  that  can  be  used  on 

the  farm  ? 

Here  is  a  drawing  (Fig.  88)  of  what  one  family  did  in 

Pleasant  Valley.  When  crops  fail,  and  business  is  poor, 
we  cannot  put  in  expensive  water- 
works. As  the  water  in  the  Groves' 
well  was  a  little  hard  for  washing, 
they  always  had  rain  barrels  for 
water  from  the  roof,  being  careful  to 
let  the  rain  wash  off  the  roof  before 
it  was  turned  into  the  barrels.  This 
picture  shows  what  Mr.  Groves  de- 
vised one  day  when  the  family  was 
talking  about  saving  steps.  He  ran 
a  short  pipe  into  the  kitchen  from  the 
barrel,  with  a  spigot  on  the  kitchen 
end  of  the  pipe.  The  pipe  was  ar- 
ranged so  that  the  barrel  could  be 
taken  off  and  down  to  be  cleaned. 
Also  there  was  a  netting  over  the  top 
of  the  barrel.  Why  ^  To  keep  out 
mosquitoes,    of    course.     This    plan 


Drawn  by  La  Mont  A.  Warner, 

Teacherscoiieaccoiumua  (Jq^s  uot  work  iu  a  vcry  dry  summer, 


UniversUy. 


Fig.  88.— Mr.  Groves  put  but  Mrs.  Grovcs  fouud  it  a  help,  and 

up  a  rain  barrel  to  catch  1111  i  1 

water  from  the  roof,  SO  shc  had  auothcr  ouc  put  by  the 

and  ran  a  short  pipe  ghcd  whcrc  the  washing  was  done  in 

into   the  kitchen   from  .  ,_, 

the  barrel.  Warm  wcathcr.      1  he  next  step  was 


THE  HOME   BREAKFAST 


195 


a  cemented  rain-water  cis- 
tern, with  a  pump  in  the 
kitchen. 

A  tank  in  the  attic. 
More  convenient  still  is  a 
water  tank  in  the  attic, 
with  a  good  hand  pump 
that  pumps  the  water 
from  a  well  or  cistern. 
One  tank  of  this  kind 
needs  many  strokes  a  day 
to  keep  it  full,  but  the 
family  prefer  this  exercise 
to  carrying  water  in  and 
out  in  pails.  A  windmill 
or  a  steam  pump  is  the 
next  advance  in  way  of 
improvement,  and  elec- 
tricity is  best  of  all.  Perhaps,  some  day,  we  all  can 
have  it. 

Some  other  ways  of  saving  strength.  Machines  in 
the  kitchen  save  just  as  much  as  machines  for  farm 
work.  We  have  seen  pictures  of  the  bread  machine, 
and  of  the  Dover  egg  beater.  A  meat  chopper,  screwed 
to  the  table,  is  quick  to  use  and  easy  to  wash.  There 
are  some  things  for  sale  that  are  foolish  to  buy,  —  like 
an  egg  opener  that  an  agent  carried  about  Pleasant 
Valley  one  day.  But  there  are  many  useful  devices 
that  you  want  to  plan  to  buy,  when  you  know  that  they 


Year  Book  of  Department  of  Agriculture,  1914. 

Fig.  89. — A  water  system  with  a  wind- 
mill furnishes  running  water  to  the 
house  and  barns. 


196  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

are  good.  You  can  have  some  problems  in  arithmetic 
and  physics  that  will  help  you  to  understand  why  a 
machine  is  a  saving. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Examine  a  Dover  egg  beater.  Count  the  cogs  on  the  large 
wheel  and  the  small.  How  many  times  will  one  turn  of  the  large 
wheel  turn  the  small  wheel  ?  The  handle  turns  the  large  wheel, 
and  the  small  wheel  the  blades.  How  many  "  beats"  will  the  white 
of  egg  have  in  the  bowl  for  one  turn  of  the  handle  ? 

Beat  the  white  of  a  fresh  egg  in  a  bowl  with  a  fork,  until  the 
white  is  so  dry  that  you  can  turn  the  bowl  upside  down,  and  count 
the  number  of  beats  as  you  work. 

Now,  here  is  your  problem.  How  many  beats  do  you  save  if 
you  use  the  Dover  .? 

2.  The  Pleasant  Valley  home-making  class  studied  the  work- 
ing of  a  pump  and  a  "windlass"  for  a  well,  in  their  Physics,  to  find 
out  how  they  worked.     Suppose  you  do. 

3.  Mr.  Stark  put  in  a  windmill  to  pump  water  into  a  tank  for 
the  house  and  barn  and  garden.     How  does  the  wind  pump  water  .? 

4.  Draw  a  plan  of  your  own  kitchen  at  home,  like  the  one  in 
Fig.  85.     Can  steps  be  saved  ^ 

REVIEW 

1.  Do  you  like  the  same  breakfast  in  summer  as  in  winter.? 
Why  not .? 

2.  Can  you  tell  why  a  farmer  takes  a  more  hearty  breakfast 
than  a  man  who  works  in  an  office  all  day  ? 

3.  Give  three  different  ways  of  making  coffee.  Which  way 
would  you  prefer  to  use  for  breakfast  ? 

4.  What  are  some  meat  dishes  that  are  not  expensive  and  are 
easily  prepared  for  breakfast  ? 

5.  Is  there  any  reason  for  cooking  cereals  f 


THE   HOME   BREAKFAST  197 

6.  How  do  you  want  your  oatmeal  cooked  for  breakfast  ? 

7.  What  is  polished  rice  ? 

8.  In  what  ways  have  you  seen  rice  boiled  ? 

9.  Do  you  know  any  way  to  use  rye  and  corn  products  as  food  ? 

10.  When  eggs  are  plentiful,  how  can  you  preserve  them  for  use 
in  the  winter  ? 

11.  Tell  how  you  will  have  eggs  cooked  differently  every  morn- 
ing for  a  week. 

12.  If  you  want  to  raise  eggs  to  sell,  what  things  about  eggs 
will  you  remember  ? 

13.  Do  you  know  how  to  make  popovers  ? 

14.  What  makes  quick  breads  light  ? 

15.  Can  you  make  any  suggestions  for  saving  steps  in  the 
kitchen  ? 

16.  Plan  a  kitchen  that  can  easily  be  kept  clean. 

17.  How  may  one  have  running  water  in  a  kitchen  ? 

18.  What  machine  for  saving  strength  would  you  like  to  have 
in  a  kitchen  ^ 


CHAPTER  V 


THE   HOME   DINNER 


Lesson  22 


MENUS    FOR   DINNER 


How  does  dinner  differ  from  the  other  meals  ? 

"  Everybody  eats  more  at  dinner,"  was  the  answer  to 
this  question  given  by  one  member  of  the  household 
arts  class  in  the  Pleasant  Valley  School.  This  may 
not  be  true  always,  but  it  is  true  that  we  usually  make 
dinner  a  meal  where  we  have  soup,  perhaps  a  meat  dish 
like  a  roast,  or  a  piece  of  boiled  meat,  more  vegetables 
than  at  breakfast  and  supper,  and  some  sweet  dish  that 
we  call  "dessert";  and  even  if  we  do  not  eat  more, 
the  food  itself  is  '"  heartier." 

Here  are  three  plans  for  dinners. 

198 


THE  HOME   DINNER 


199 


DINNER    PLANS 

I 

II 

III 

2  hot  dishes  (as  meat 

Soup 

Soup 

and  vegetable) 

2    or    3    other    hot 

2  or  3  hot  dishes 

Bread  and  butter 

dishes     (as     meat 

A  relish  (as  jelly  or 

Dessert 

and    I   or  2  vege- 

pickle) 

ReHsh 

tables) 

Bread  and  butter 

Bread  and  butter 

Salad 

Dessert 

Dessert 

Beverage 

Beverage 

ReHsh 

One  of  the  hot  dishes  can  be  fish  or  shellfish,  or  baked 
beans  ;  and  when  there  are  two  vegetables  we  usually 
like  to  have  potato,  although  rice,  samp,  or  hominy  can 
take  the  place  of  the  potato. 

It  is  really  an  art  to  put  together  dishes  that  belong 
together ;   so  let  us  study  this  for  a  little  time. 

Why  do  certain  dishes  fit  each  other  at  one  meal  ? 
Suppose  we  take  Dinner  II,  and  arrange  it  this  way : 
potato  soup,  baked  beans,  boiled  potato,  boiled  rice, 
bread  and  butter,  rice  pudding.  Here  is  another  menu  : 
tomato  soup,  baked  potatoes,  stewed  tomato,  boiled 
greens,  bread  and  butter,  baked  apples.  Here  is  a 
third  one  :  meat  soup,  meat,  warmed-over  fish,  custard 
pudding  made  of  eggs  and  milk. 

Do  these  menus  seem  just  right  to  you  ?  Mollie 
Stark  was  sure  that  her  father  and  brothers  would  not 
like  any  of  them  ;  and,  although  they  might  prefer  the 
third  one  to  the  others  if  they  were  very  hungry,  there 


200  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

seemed  something  wrong  even  with  that.  Miss  James 
asked  her  to  change  them  and  make  something  better. 
Here  is  the  first  menu  that  MolHe  planned  :  tomato 
soup,  meat,  boiled  potatoes,  string  beans,  apple  tapioca 
pudding. 

Here  is  another  of  MoUie's  menus  :  potato  soup,  fish, 
stewed  tomato,  samp  (in  place  of  potato),  and  baked 
custard.  Can  you  explain  the  difference  between  these 
and  the  first  three  ?  You  may  be  sure  that  there  are 
too  many  dishes  of  the  same  nature  in  each  of  those 
three.  The  first  has  too  much  starchy  food ;  the 
second  too  much  green  vegetable  and  fruit  food  ;  the 
third  too  much  meat  food.  We  seem  to  crave  a  mixture. 
This  is  where  our  natural  habit  and  desire  are  good. 
In  the  two  menus  that  Mollie  planned,  you  can  see  that 
the  balance  is  better  among  the  meat,  the  starchy,  and 
the  "  green  "  foods.  You  notice  that  the  dessert  in 
the  second  menu  balances  better  with  the  first  than  it 
would  with  a  hearty  dish  of  meat,  for  fish  does  not 
seem  to  "  stay  by  "  as  meat  does.  Our  appetite  and 
nature  agree  about  some  things  in  our  meals.  Other 
things  that  we  like,  we  seem  to  like  because  of  some 
custom  that  has  come  to  us  from  the  past.  When  the 
Puritans  of  New  England  cooked  their  wild  turkey  at 
the  first  Thanksgiving,  they  probably  made  cranberry 
sauce  from  the  wild  berries  gathered  in  the  bog ;  the 
combination  was  pleasing,  and  we  like  it  to  this  day. 
Some  of  our  food  habits  are  not  so  good  ;  as,  for  in- 
stance, a  breakfast  of  sausage,  griddlecakes,  and  sirup. 


THE   HOME   DINNER  201 

Here  is  one  simple  rule  that  is  a  good  one  in  making 
menus  :  where  there  is  a  good  supply  of  the  meat  dish, 
then  a  light  dessert,  principally  fruit,  is  best ;  but  when 
the  meat  is  a  little  short,  have  a  dessert  made  with  milk 
or  with  eggs  and  milk,  or  have  suet  pudding. 

The  plans  given  are  suggestions  only.  Of  course  we 
do  not  want  soup  at  every  dinner,  and  if  the  soup  has 
meat  in  it,  we  do  not  need  any  other  meat.  We  should 
all  learn  moderation  in  eating  our  dinner,  especially 
if  we  are  very  hungry  at  the  beginning  of  the  meal ; 
and  remember  that,  if  there  is  a  dessert,  it  is  a  part  of  the 
dinner.  When  we  have  eaten  quite  enough  of  every- 
thing else,  and  then  take  pudding  or  pie,  no  wonder  that 
we  find  the  latter  giving  trouble. 

How  much  shall  we  have  for  our  family  ?  One  rainy 
Saturday,  when  Mollie  Stark  was  spending  the  day  with 
Marjorie  Allen,  Marjorie  said  to  her  mother,  "  Please 
leave  us  all  alone  in  the  kitchen  and  dining  room,  and 
let  us  get  dinner  all  by  ourselves."  Mrs.  Allen  took 
up  a  piece  of  sewing,  glad  to  enjoy  a  quiet  morning  in 
the  cheerful  living  room,  with  Grandmother.  In  about 
five  minutes,  open  came  the  door  from  the  kitchen,  and 
Marjorie  was  saying,  "  Mother,  how  much  tomato  soup 
do  you  think  we  need  .?  "  Her  mother  laughed.  Then 
they  all  had  a  little  talk  about  the  quantities  necessary 
to  serve  of  each  dish.  Mrs.  Allen  explained  that  in 
a  family  as  large  as  hers  it  is  not  needful  to  plan  so 
carefully  for  the  exact  amount,  for  left-overs  can  al- 
ways be  used  ;  and  that  it  saves  labor  and  fuel  to  have 


202  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

portions  of  certain  dishes  remaining,  especially  those 
that  keep  well.  Marjorie  remembered  that,  when  she 
had  visited  her  aunt,  who  lives  in  a  small  apartment 
in  the  city,  it  was  a  part  of  the  planning  of  a  meal  to 
have  very  little  left  over,  because  the  storage  space 
was  so  small ;  whereas,  in  the  Aliens'  home,  and 
the  Starks',  there  is  the  cool  pantry  and  the  large  ice 
box. 

This  is  the  way  Mrs.  Allen  helped  the  two  girls  to 
plan  the  quantities.  There  were  nine  people  to  serve : 
Grandmother,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen,  MoUie  Stark,  Bar- 
bara, her  little  sister  and  two  younger  brothers,  and  one 
man  who  was  helping  Mr.  Allen.  Mrs.  Allen  said  that 
one  learned  by  experience  how  much  certain  members 
of  the  family  would  eat  of  certain  things,  and  that  there 
was  no  fixed  rule. 

MENU  QUANTITY 

Tomato  soup  About  J  pint  each,  2  qts. 

Remarks.     2  quarts  enough.     Grandmother  does  not  take  it. 
Pot  roast  6  lb. 

Remarks.     What  remained,  to  be  used  second  time. 
Mashed  potato  15  large  potatoes 

Remarks.     If  smaller  potatoes,  take  two  apiece. 
Sweet  corn  2  doz.  large  ears  of  corn 

Remarks.  This  might  not  be  enough  the  first  time  that  corn 
is  served  in  summer. 

Bread  and  butter  12  or  15  slices  bread.     A  large 

square    of    butter    on     each 
butter  plate. 

Remarks.     More  br^ad  can  be  cut  if  wanted.     The  potato  does 


THE   HOME   DINNER  203 

not  need  more  butter ;    if  butter  is  eaten  on  the  corn,  everybody 
calls  for  more. 

Apple    pudding   with    baking         2-quart  baking  dish  large  enough 
powder  crust.  to   hold   eight   or  ten   apples 

Foamy  sauce.  when  sliced. 

Crust  from  a  pint  of  flour. 
Double  recipe  for  foamy  sauce. 
Coffee  I  pint. 

Remarks.  Mrs.  Allen  said  that  Mr.  Allen  and  his  helper  could 
have  a  cup  apiece,  but  it  wasn't  served  for  any  one  else ;  and  Grand- 
mother remarked  that  her  digestion  was  good  because  she  didn't 
take  tea  or  cofl^ee  for  dinner. 

Pickles  None 

Remarks.  Mrs.  Allen  said  that  the  tomato  was  acid,  and  the 
apples  slightly  so ;    so  no  more  acid  should  be  taken. 

Plan  for  cooking  dinner.  Then  Mollie  and  Marjorie 
went  back  to  the  kitchen,  and  planned  for  cooking  the 
dinner. 

When  it  is  time  for  dinner,  everything  needs  to  be 
ready  at  about  the  same  time,  so  that  everything  can 
be  served  and  everybody  helped  quickly.  Do  you  think 
that  this  is  an  easy  matter .?  One  very  wise  man,  who 
was  getting  his  own  breakfasts,  said  that  he  knew  how 
to  cook  cereal,  boil  eggs,  and  make  coffee,  but  that  he 
never  yet  had  been  able  to  have  them  all  ready  at  the 
same  time  !  Mollie  and  Marjorie  thought  this  dinner 
all  out  before  they  began.  This  is  the  way  they  planned 
it : 

(i)  See  what  things  are  already  cooked,  and  what 
needs  to  be  done  to  make  them  ready  for  the  table. 


204  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

(2)  Notice  what  dishes  take  longest  to  cook,  and  start 
those  first. 

(3)  Notice  what  food  is  best  eaten  just  as  soon  as  it 
is  done,  and  what  can  stand  awhile  on  the  back  of  the 
stove. 

(4)  Notice  what  things  you  want  to  have  cold,  and 
see  if  you  can  put  those  on  last. 

A  cook  who  can  do  all  this,  have  everything  on  the 
table  that  needs  to  be  there,  all  the  hot  dishes  hot,  and 
all  the  cold  dishes  cold,  is  really  a  very  "  smart  "  person. 
Here  is  an  exercise  for  you  :  Write  out  the  way  that 
you  think  Mollie  and  Marjorie  planned  this  dinner. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Consider  the  dinner  that  Mollie  and  Marjorie  planned. 
Which  food  needs  the  longest  cooking  ?  Which  the  shortest  ? 
Which  can  be  kept  hot  the  most  easily  ?  Study  the  recipes.  Each 
pupil  should  make  a  plan,  and  then  compare  notes  in  class. 

2.  Make  several  simple  menus  for  dinner,  and  plan  the  cooking. 

3.  What  are  some  of  the  most  important  things  to  remember 
in  planning  a  dinner  ? 

Lesson  23 

MEAT   as    food 

What  shall  we  do  about  meat  ? 

The  price  of  meat  has  risen  so  much  in  the  last  few 
years  that  this  is  an  important  question  for  everybody, 
both  in  the  city  and  country. 


THE  HOME   DINNER 


205 


U.  S.  Department  of  Affricultttre, 
Farmers'  Bulletin,  No.  183. 


Fig.  90.  —  Mr.  Allen  bought  these  tools 
for  cutting  meat. 


Mr.  Allen  decided  to  study  very  carefully  the  raising 
of  meat.  He  sent  to  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry, 
U.  S.  Department  of  Agri- 
culture, for  Bulletin  No. 
183,  which  gives  very  care- 
ful directions  about  butch- 
ering the  different  animals, 
curing  and  storing  meat 
for  winter,  and  making 
products  like  sausages  and 
headcheese.  When  the 
other  Pleasant  Valley 
farmers  talked  about  the 
matter  at  the  Grange,  they 

decided  to  follow  Mr.  Allen's  example,  and  sent  for 
this  very  valuable  pamphlet. 

Do  we  need  meat  as  a  food  ?  When  we  can  use  milk, 
cheese,  eggs,  vegetables,  fruit,  and  bread  plentifully, 
there  is  much  less  need  of  meat  than  many  people 
think.  If  it  is  our  habit  to  eat  it  freely,  we  should  not 
make  a  sudden  change  and  leave  it  off  immediately ; 
but  most  people  are  much  better  in  health  when  they 
eat  meat  but  once  a  day.  Meat  gives  us  protein,  fat, 
and  mineral  matter.  Gelatin,  which  comes  from  the 
bones  and  tissue,  is  a  protein,  which  is  of  use  in  the  body. 
The  juices  of  the  meat  which  give  it  flavor  have  no  food 
value.  Some  people  seem  to  be  able  to  digest  meat 
more  easily  than  the  other  protein  foods,  —  fish,  eggs, 
milk,  and  so  on,  —  but  this  is  not  always  the  case. 


2o6 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


When  a  great  deal  of  meat  is  eaten,  say  three  times  a 
day,  intestinal  trouble  may  result,  and  too  much  acid 
is  formed  in  the  body.     People  who  think  that  they 


LEAF  FAT  cTENDERLOIN 


\F   A    T 


rKIDNEY 


BACK 

.<^ 

O       I      K       V 

RIB    CHOPS  TRIMt^EO 

■  j^PARE  RIBS^.  ; 
B    E  L  L  Y      ^ 

A    C    O    W 


Courtesy  of  E.  C.  Bridgman,  New  York. 

Fig.  91.  —  Cuts  of  pork. 

must  eat  meat  should  drink  water  in  large  quantities 
and  eat  fruit  and  green  vegetables. 

Little  children  should  not  be  given  meat ;  for  milk, 
eggs,  and  grain  foods  are  better  for  growth,  and  the 
meat  may  take  away  their  liking  for  these  foods.  Most 
people  do  enjoy  the  taste  of  meat,  but  we  can  learn  to 
be  moderate  in  its  use.  There  are  many  human  beings 
who  never  touch  it,  and  who  are  well  nourished,  with 
bodies  strong  for  work. 

The  cost  of  meat.  Only  when  our  meat  comes  from 
wild  animals,  who  find  their  own  food,  is  meat  an  in- 


THE   HOME   DINNER 


207 


expensive  food.  Even  when  we  kill  and  use  our  own 
animals,  we  pay  for  the  meat  in  the  food  we  give  to  them. 
The  interest  on  the  pasture  land  which  cannot  be  used  for 
other  purposes,  and  our  own  labor  in  caring  for  animals, 


RUM] 


UA  C  K 


CUTLETS      \'        RIB  CHOPS     ^ 


Fig.  92. 


Courtesy  of  E.  C.  Bridgman,  New  York. 
Cuts  of  veal. 


housing  them,  and  raising  food  for  them,  taken  all  to- 
gether make  it  expensive  to  eat  them.  On  the  other 
hand,  the  milk,  cream,  butter,  and  cheese  that  they 
give  us  is  a  less  costly  food  than  their  own  flesh.  This 
is  true  of  beef  at  least.  You  can  see  that  it  is  different 
with  the  hog,  whose  flesh  is  the  only  product.  From 
the  sheep  we  have  wool  as  well  as  meat,  but  no  other 
product  that  we  can  use  as  food.     All  these  animals 


208 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


make  a  return  to  the  land,  which  is  valuable.  Taken 
as  food  to  be  raised,  do  you  not  see  that  the  beef  is 
the  most  costly  to  the  farmer  ?  Veal,  the  flesh  of  the 
calf,  is  less  costly  to  the  farmer  than  beef.  Can  you 
explain  why  ^    The  calf  should  not  be  eaten  when  less 


nia^mRT^^ 


(t^ 


TENDERLOIN 


FORE  O^^S. 


Q,         SIRLOIN    '^V^F;- 

I    /       PRIME  RI13S  UIVLK 


\     .    TOP 

[ROUND    SIRLOIN 


l^'Ct'T   V^cvj     S-Unr   'C    'i<- 


Courtesy  of  E.  C.  Bridgman,  New  York. 
Fig.  93 .  —  Cuts  of  beef. 


than  six  weeks  old.  All  this  does  not  mean  that  we 
should  not  eat  meat ;  but  we  should  understand  that  it  is 
not  a  cheap  food  simply  because  we  raise  it  ourselves,  for 
we  pay  for  it  in  food  and  labor,  and  often  can  get  better 
food  value  for  ourselves  from  other  things  for  less  labor. 
Look  on  page  170  again  to  see  the  values  of  eggs,  milk, 
and  beef;  and  you  can  see  a  little  more  clearly  still  why 
milk  and  eggs  are  on  the  whole  cheaper  than  any  meat. 


THE  HOME   DINNER 


209 


What  to  be  careful  about  in  buying  meat.  Mrs. 
Allen  was  careful  in  explaining  to  MoUie  and  Marjorie 
that  she  bought  from  one  butcher's  cart  rather  than 
another,  because  this  butcher  was  careful  to  buy  good 


BIND  ^Q[^.RTERT''T-'Oi^iLpnA^^ 


KIDNEY 


MLoiTjQiop's 

LOIN" 


LOIN  ROAST  CROWN  ROAS 

(InclRib)    •         14  iViU 


16 


\() 


RIBCH0P5  SHOUmE^ 


C  H  Uo^CK 


TROTTER- 


Courtesy  0/  E.  C.  Bridgman,  New  York. 
Fig.  94.  —  Cuts  of  lamb  and  mutton. 


beef,  in  the  first  place.  Then,  too,  he  had  a  clean  place 
for  hanging  his  beef,  chilled  by  ice.  His  shop  was 
very  clean,  scrubbed  out  often,  and  he  fought  flies  all 
the  time.  His  cart,  too,  was  cleaned  daily,  screened 
from  flies,  and  the  meat  covered  from  the  dust  of  the 
road.  The  other  butcher  allowed  flies  to  crawl  over 
the  meat,  and  his  cart  and  shop  had  an  unclean  ap- 
pearance and  smell. 


2IO 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Miss  James  had  talked  about  certain  dangers  from 
meat.  If  the  animals  themselves  are  unhealthy,  there 
may  be  tiny  living  creatures  in  their  flesh,  known  as 

parasites.  The  ter- 
rible disease  tri- 
china sometimes 
found  in  pork  is  one 
of  these.  Tape- 
worms come  from 
beef.  We  can  pro- 
tect ourselves  from 
these  parasites  by 
thorough  cooking 
of  the  meat.  The 
cooked  meat  should 
be  pink  rather  than 
red  and  raw  looking. 
Another  trouble, 

U.  S.  Depanmenl  of  Agriculture,  Farmers'  Bulletin  183.      KUOWn  aS  ptOmamC 

Fig.  95.  —  Prime  ribs  of  beef.      a.  Rolled   roast,     poisouiug,  may  OC- 
b.   Folded  roast,     c.  Standing  roast.  1  1 

cur  when  meat  has 
been  kept  too  long  and  has  not  been  kept  cold  enough. 
The  ptomaine  is  a  poison  formed  by  the  bacteria  that 
have  developed  in  the  meat.  Then,  again,  the  bacteria 
themselves  injure  us,  and  are  now  thought  to  be  the 
cause  of  most  of  the  sickness  which  has  been  called 
ptomaine  poisoning. 

There  are  laws  that  require  inspection  of  all  meat. 
The  Woman's  Club  in  Pleasant  Valley  made  a  very 


THE   HOME   DINNER 


211 


thorough  study  of  this  subject  and  worked  with  the 
local  butchers  until  matters  were  very  much  improved. 
Selecting  meat  for  cooking.  The  cuts  of  meat  vary 
somewhat  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  We  know 
that  meat  is  either 
tough  or  tender, 
and  that  the  differ- 
ence is  caused  by 
the  amount  of  ex- 
ercise given  to  the 
different  muscles 
of  the  animal's 
body.  The  flesh 
ofthe  meat  is  mus- 
cle. You  easily 
see  that  the  mus- 
cles lymg  along  tne  ^  ^  oepan-ieat  0/ Agriculture.  Farmers'  Bulletin  183. 
animal's  Spine  and      Fig.  96.  — Side    cuts    of   pork.      a.  Loin.     b.   Fat 

underneath  the       ^^.^^-    %YT^"'    ^•^^^°"^'"p-    ^- '^  ""^^ 

mings.     I.  Lear. 

body   are    used 

much  less  than  the  muscles  of  the  neck  and  the  legs. 
The  tough  cuts,  therefore,  come  from  the  neck  and 
legs,  the  tender  cuts  from  the  middle  of  the  back, 
and  the  toughness  increases  toward  the  neck  and  the 
hind  legs.  The  muscles  of  the  abdomen  give  a  tender 
and  coarse-grained  meat. 

The  tender  meat  is  no  more  nourishing  than  the  tough, 
but  is  easier  and  pleasanter  to  chew ;  and,  as  there  is 
less  tender  meat  than  tough,  the  tender  meat  costs  more 


212  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

than  the  tough.  It  is  not  good  sense  to  buy  porter- 
house steak  at  30  or  32  cents  a  pound,  or  to  take  it  in 
exchange  for  eggs  at  that  price.  It  is  better  to  buy  the 
round  or  rump  steak  and  cook  it  in  such  a  way  that  it 
loses  its  toughness.  Can  you  explain  why  the  meat  of 
young  animals  is  more  tender  than  that  of  the  full- 
grown  creature  ? 

How  shall  we  cook  our  meat  ^  Sometimes  we  wish 
to  keep  the  juices  in  the  meat,  and  sometimes  we  wish 
to  draw  out  the  juices  for  beef  tea  or  soup,  or  for  making 
gravy.  If  we  buy  a  tender  meat,  we  do  not  wish  to 
make  it  hard  by  poor  cooking.  If  the  meat  is  tough, 
we  should  select  some  cooking  process  that  will  make 
the  meat  as  tender  as  possible. 

Let  us  try  two  simple  experiments  that  will  show  us 
what  to  do  when  we  wish  to  draw  the  juices  out,  or  to 
keep  the  juices  in. 

TWO    EXPERIMENTS    WITH    MEAT 

Experiment  A. 

Chop  finely  a  small  piece  of  meat,  squeeze  out  the  juice 
with  a  lemon  squeezer,  and  heat  this  juice  in  a  saucepan. 
Notice  a  whitish  substance  that  results.  This  is  meat  albu- 
min that  is  affected  by  heat  in  about  the  same  way  that  the 
white  of  egg  is  affected.  We  say  that  the  albumin  has  coagu- 
lated. 

Experiment  B. 

Apparatus.  If  possible,  2  glass  beakers,  i  square  wire  net. 
If  these  are  not  available,  use  an  ordinary  tumbler  and  a  small 
saucepan. 


THE   HOME   DINNER  213 

Method,  a.  Put  a  small  piece  of  meat  in  a  beaker  with 
cold  water,  and  allow  it  to  stand. 

h.  Bring  water  to  the  boiling  point  in  the  beaker.  Throw 
in  a  small  piece  of  meat. 

Compare  the  appearance  of  the  two  pieces  of  meat  and  the 
water  in  the  two  beakers.  What  has  happened  .?  You  see 
that  the  juices  of  the  meat  have  come  out  in  the  cold  water. 
In  the  other  piece  you  can  see  that  the  surface  of  the  piece 
is  cooked  and  that  little  of  the  juice  is  in  the  water.  The  heat 
of  the  water  has  coagulated  the  meat  albumin  just  as  it  did  in 
Experiment  A.  This  has  made  a  little  crust  over  the  meat  and 
the  juices  cannot  escape.     A  hot  pan  has  just  the  same  effect. 

In  order  to  understand  what  cooking  does  to  meat 
we  must  know  something  more  of  the  structure  of  the 
muscle.  Each  muscle  is  made  up  of  bundles  of  tiny- 
tubes  held  together  by  a  strong  substance  that  we  call 
connective  tissue.  In  tough  meat  the  muscle  tubes 
are  thicker  and  there  is  more  of  the  connective  tissue. 
If  you  examine  a  piece  of  meat,  you  can  easily  find  this 
tissue.  The  structure  of  the  muscle  is  a  little  like  that 
of  an  orange.  Take  a  section  from  an  orange,  open  it, 
and  take  out  some  of  the  single  cells.  These  cells  may 
stand  for  the  muscle  cells  of  meat  that  you  can  see  only 
through  a  microscope.  If  you  cut  one  of  the  tiny  or- 
ange cells,  the  juice  escapes,  and  this  is  what  happens 
when  the  muscle  cells  are  cut  across.  The  juices  will 
also  pass  through  the  wall  of  the  cell  when  the  muscle 
is  heated  and  when  the  meat  is  put  into  cold  water. 
When,  however,  we  sear  the  outside  of  the  meat,  a 
crust  is  formed  which  keeps  the  other  juices  in. 


214  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Whether  the  meat  is  tough  or  tender,  the  most  valu- 
able protein  stays  behind  in  the  muscle  cell.  The 
substances  that  we  can  draw  out  from  the  cells  are  called 
the  extractives,  because  they  can  be  extracted.  The 
tough  meat  has  as  much  nutritive  value  as,  if  not  more 
than,  the  tender ;  and  our  problem  is  to  soften  the 
strong  connective  tissue.  This  can  be  done  by  long, 
slow  cooking  with  plenty  of  moisture,  which  dissolves 
out  the  gelatin  and  softens  the  whole  mass.  A  high> 
temperature  shrinks  and  hardens  fiber,  and  the  tender- 
est  meat  will  become  like  sole  leather,  if  cooked  too  hard 
and  too  long.     This  is  true  with  tough  or  tender  fowl. 

Something  more  about  cooking  meat.  In  cooking 
pieces  of  tender  meat,  therefore,  we  sear  the  outside 
by  using  a  high  temperature  at  first,  and  then  all  that  is 
necessary  is  to  cook  the  meat  at  a  lower  temperature 
until  it  is  done  through.  Thin  pieces,  like  steak  and 
chops,  cook  only  a  short  time,  while  roasts  and  boiling 
pieces  cook  much  longer. 

Salted,  corned,  and  smoked  meats.  Mrs.  Allen 
always  corns  the  beef  for  her  family.  She  always 
selects  solid  pieces  of  beef,  but  some  people  like  the 
plate  beef  with  layers  of  fat  in  it. 

Coming  beef.^ 

What.     lOO  lb.  of  solid  meat  with  the  bone  out 
ij  lb.  saltpeter 
25  lb.  of  salt 
6-8  oz.  of  onion,  chopped  fine 

^  This  recipe  is  due  to  the  courtesy  of  a  southern  butcher.  In  the 
original  rule  garlic  was  used  instead  of  onion. 


THE   HOME   DINNER  215 

How  to  make.  Rub  each  piece  well  with  saltpeter,  salt,  and 
onion.  Put  the  meat  in  layers  in  the  barrel,  and  cover  the  top 
with  salt.  When  this  has  stood  3  or  4  days,  put  a  board  on 
the  top  and  put  heavy  weights  on  the  board.  This  will  be 
ready  for  use  in  8  days.  Mrs.  Allen  always  takes  it  from  the 
bottom  first. 

How  to  cook  the  corned  beef. 

Soak  a  piece  of  the  right  size  in  cold  water  overnight.  In  the 
morning  wipe  it  off  and  put  it  in  a  kettle  of  cold  water.  Heat 
the  water  slowly  and  take  off  the  scum.  Let  the  water  boil 
very  gently  for  4  or  5  hours,  depending  on  the  size.  When 
served  hot,  let  it  stand  a  few  minutes  where  it  will  not  boil, 
before  draining  off  the  water. 

To  serve  cold.  Pull  the  meat  apart  with  two  forks,  taking 
out  poor  pieces,  and  mixing  up  the  lean  and  fat.  Put  it  into 
a  pan.  A  bread  pan  makes  a  good  shape.  Put  another  pan 
on  top,  and  set  flatirons  on  the  pan.  This  presses  the  meat 
down,  if  you  let  it  stand  for  several  hours.  When  cold,  it  can 
be  nicely  sliced  and  is  good  for  sandwiches  or  for  a  supper  dish. 

Boiled  ham. 

Ham  is  one  of  the  smoked  meats.  A  leg  of  ham  makes  an 
excellent  dinner,  and  the  left-over  pieces  can  be  used  to  the 
very  last  scrap. 

Soak  the  ham  overnight,  trim,  wash  off,  and  put  to  soak 
again.  Mrs.  Allen  always  soaks  hers  two  nights  and  a  day. 
In  the  morning  put  it  in  a  kettle  of  cold  water,  heat  it  slowly, 
and  let  it  boil  about  5  hours.  A  knitting  needle  is  a  good 
thing  to  test  it  with.  When  it  is  done,  skim  it,  put  it  back  in 
the  kettle,  and  let  it  stand  until  cold.  If  you  want  to  serve  it 
hot,  take  it  from  the  kettle,  put  it  in  a  roasting  pan,  and  let 
it  bake  until  the  fat  begins  to  cook.  Sprinkle  it  all  over  with 
fine  cracker  crumbs  or  flour,  and  bake  it  until  the  crust  is 
brown. 


2i6  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Cooking  fresh  meat.  The  flavors  to  be  used  with 
meat  are  a  very  important  part  of  meat  cookery,  es- 
pecially with  tough  meats.  Dried  herbs  help  to  make 
meat  dishes  savory.  Onions,  carrots,  turnips,  celery, 
cabbage,  in  small  portions,  give  a  fine  flavor.  Spices, 
such  as  cloves,  mustard,  or  even  nutmeg,  used  in  small 
quantities,  also  add  to  the  savoriness  of  cooked  meat ; 
a  little  acid  like  lemon  juice,  or  currant  jelly,  put  into 
a  soup,  or  stirred  into  a  gravy,  helps  very  much. 

Broiling  tender  chops  and  steak. 

Never  spoil  your  tender  meat  by  frying  it  hard  with  a  large 
amount  of  fat. 

Broiling  over  coals.  Wipe  meat  with  a  damp  cloth.  If 
a  wood  or  coal  stove  is  used,  have  a  bed  of  glowing  coals 
ready.  If  gas  is  used,  have  the  gas  broiler  thoroughly  heated. 
Grease  the  bars  of  the  broiler.  Place  meat  in  the  broiler  and 
sear  meat  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the  other.  Continue  to 
turn  the  broiler,  and  cook  the  meat  until  it  is  brown  and 
done  according  to  taste.  Steak  an  inch  thick  will  take  about 
ten  minutes  to  be  cooked  to  a  medium  degree.  Chops  are 
broiled  in  the  same  way. 

Pan  broiled.  Here  we  use  just  enough  fat  to  keep  the 
meat  from  sticking.  An  iron  frying  pan  is  the  best  utensil. 
Heat  the  pan  and  brush  it  over  with  a  small  piece  of  fat  cut 
from  the  steak  or  the  chops.  The  purpose  of  this  is  merely 
to  keep  the  meat  from  sticking  to  the  pan.  The  principle 
of  cooking  is  the  same  as  with  broiling  over  coals.  Turn  the 
steak  or  chops  frequently,  using  a  knife  and  a  fork,  but  being 
careful  not  to  prick  the  meat  with  the  fork.  The  length  of 
time  is  slightly  longer  than  for  broiling.  This  method  must 
not  be  confused  with  the  frying  of  steak  in  a  pan  with  a  large 


THE   HOME   DINNER  217 

amount  of  fat.  This  does  not  fry  the  steak,  and  is  often  a 
convenient  method. 

Roasted  meat.  This  is  a  rule  for  tender  meats.  Wipe  roast 
with  a  damp  cloth.  Sprinkle  with  salt  and  dredge  with  flour. 
Place  in  a  roasting  pan,  fat  side  up  if  it  is  a  standing  roast. 
Put  the  roast  in  a  very  hot  oven,  and  after  fifteen  minutes  re- 
duce the  heat.  Baste  roast  two  or  three  times  with  the  fat 
that  tries  out  during  cooking.  The  usual  allowance  of  time 
for  a  medium  rare  roast  is  fifteen  minutes  for  every  pound  of 
meat. 

Roast  heef  gravy.  After  the  roast  has  been  taken  from  the 
pan,  pour  out  all  but  i  J  tablespoonfuls  of  the  melted  fat.  Stir 
in  I  heaping  tablespoonful  of  flour  and  brown  very  slightly. 
Add  one  cup  of  cold  water  and  stir  constantly  until  thickened. 
Add  J  teaspoonful  salt.     Strain. 

Round  steak.  Ask  the  butcher  to  cut  it  an  inch  or  an  inch 
and  a  half  thick.  A  pound  of  round  steak  cooked  in  this 
way  will  give  good-sized  portions  to  three  people.  Wash  the 
steak  off^  with  salt  and  water.  Heat  a  deep  frying  pan,  and 
melt  enough  beef  suet  to  just  cover  the  bottom.  Make  the 
pan  very  hot  and  brown  the  steak  first  on  one  side,  then  on  the 
other.  Remove  to  a  cooler  part  of  the  stove,  or  turn  down  the 
flame,  if  it  is  a  blue-flame  oil  stove.  To  a  pound  of  steak  allow 
I  teaspoonful  of  salt,  §  an  onion  chopped.  Cover  the  meat 
with  water,  put  a  cover  on  the  pan,  and  let  the  steak  simmer 
for  two  hours.  This  is  perfect  when  cooked  in  the  Atkinson 
cooker  all  the  morning.  You  may  make  this  more  savory  by 
adding  a  little  of  several  kinds  of  vegetables. 

A  pot  roast  or  stew.  For  this  select  a  large,  solid  piece  of 
meat  from  rump  or  round.  The  method  of  cooking  is  in  prin- 
ciple just  like  the  cooking  of  the  round  steak,  only  the  piece 
of  meat  is  larger.  The  meat  is  browned  all  over  in  fat  and 
put  in  the  kettle.  Suppose  you  have  a  5-lb.  piece  of  meat. 
Put  in  the  kettle  with  it  two  or  three  carrots,  a  small  turnip 


2i8  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

or  two,  two  or  three  onions,  and  a  few  stalks  of  celery  or  celery 
leaves  or  celery  salt.  The  flavor  is  improved  by  a  few  cloves, 
say  J  dozen.  Add  water  and  cook  very  gently  for  from  4  to 
6  hours.  This  is  another  kind  of  dish  that  cooks  well  in  the 
Atkinson  cooker.  When  you  are  ready  to  serve  the  beef, 
take  it  out  and  put  it  on  a  platter  and  keep  hot.  If  the  water 
has  not  boiled  away  enough,  let  it  cook  a  little  longer,  and 
thicken  with  a  little  flour.  If  you  have  a  pint  of  gravy,  you  will 
need  a  tablespoonful  of  flour.  Stir  a  little  cold  water  into  the 
flour,  and  stir  this  paste  gradually  into  the  hot  liquid.  Let 
it  boil  up  and  serve  it  with  the  meat. 

Old-fashioned  meat  soup.  Everybody  says  that 
Grandmother  Stark  can  make  the  best  soup  in  Pleasant 
Valley :  and  she  has  not  any  rule !  You  will  find 
recipes  for  making  soup  in  all  the  cook  books,  but  this 
is  Grandmother  Stark's  method.  She  uses  meat 
bones  or  chicken  bones  and  any  pieces  of  cold  meat  that 
are  left.  She  cuts  up  the  larger  pieces  of  meat  and 
puts  them  to  one  side.  She  breaks  up  the  bones,  puts 
them  in  a  kettle,  and  covers  them  with  cold  water. 
The  kettle  stands  on  the  stove  all  day  long,  simmering 
gently,  and  from  time  to  time  Mrs.  Stark  adds  a  little 
more  hot  water.  When  the  soup  has  simmered  until 
the  bones  are  bare,  they  are  removed.  Then  Mrs. 
Stark  looks  in  the  pantry  and  refrigerator,  and  adds  any 
cooked  vegetable  that  is  left,  and  a  little  stewed  fruit, 
if  it  is  not  too  sweet.  When  she  is  asked  what  she  uses, 
she  says,  "  Just  whatever  I  find."  Sometimes  she  adds 
a  teaspoonful  or  so  of  dried  herbs  or  a  few  cloves.  If 
the  soup  is  a  little  thin,  it  is  thickened  with  flour,  but 


THE   HOME   DINNER  219 

when  cold  mashed  potato  or  beans  are  added,  no  other 
thickening  is  needed.  Just  before  serving,  the  larger 
pieces  of  meat  are  added  and,  if  there  are  not  enough 
of  these,  cooked  vegetables  like  carrots,  turnips,  beets, 
or  whole  peas  and  beans.  Served  with  bread  this 
makes  a  good  dinner  or  supper  for  any  cold  day  in 
winter.  It  is  not  a  summer  dish  because  it  needs  a 
long,  slow  cooking.  It  can  be  made  in  an  Atkinson 
cooker,  but  not  so  well  in  a  fireless  cooker.  You  may 
think  that  you  would  not  like  it ;  but  try  it  some  time 
and  see. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Why  is  meat  a  more  expensive  food  than  beans  ? 

2.  Why  is  it  better  to  eat  meat  only  once  or  twice  a  day  ? 

3.  Make  a  Hst  of  the  cost  of  different  cuts  of  meat  in  your 
own  home  place.     Study  cost  of  canned  meats  (page  298). 

4.  What  is  a  meat  substitute  ?  Make  a  list  of  those  that  you 
can  use  at  home.     Write  recipes  for  tough  and  tender  fowl. 

Lesson  24 

fresh  vegetables 

How  may  we  have  fresh  vegetables  and  use  them  to  best  ad- 
vantage ? 

It  is  always  a  happy  moment  with  Marjorie  Allen 
and  her  brothers  and  sisters  when  the  first  crisp  heads 
of  lettuce,  tender  green  peas,  and  succulent  sweet  corn 
are  ready  for  the  table. 

The  home  garden.  Mrs.  Allen,  Marjorie,  and  the 
children   plant   their  own   garden,    and   with   a   hand 


220 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


machine  keep  it  well  cultivated.     It  is  fenced  in  by 
wire   netting   and   laid   out   in   convenient   beds   with 

narrow  paths  between,  and 
with  bright  annual  flowers 
making  a  gay  border.  Mr. 
Allen  has  the  garden  plot 
plowed  and  harrowed  in  the 
spring,  and  runs  the  culti- 
vator through  a  few  times 
in  the  course  of  the  season. 
For  fertilizer  they  use  sweep- 
ings from  the  henhouse 
and  wood  ashes,  except  with 
the  potatoes.  Besides,  Mr. 
Allen  gives  them  a  share  of 
his  acid  phosphate.  They 
also  work  into  the  soil  de- 
cayed leaves  and  vegetables, 
which  give  the  material  that 
most  soil  needs  so  much. 

Watering  the  garden. 
This  is  the  problem  in  dry 
seasons  and  soils.  Remem- 
ber to  keep  a  blanket  of 
dry  earth  around  the  plants 
by  cultivation.  If  you  have  running  water  and  a  hose, 
you  are  indeed  fortunate.  But  sometimes  it  pays  to 
carry  water.  Use  a  pail  on  a  wheelbarrow,  and,  if  the 
water  supply  is  low,  take  slops  from  the  house,  diluted 


Courtesy  of  New  York,  State  College  of 
Aariculture  at  Cornell  University. 

Fig.  97.  —  Mrs.  Allen's  garden  has  a 
border  of  rudbeckia. 


THE  HOME   DINNER 


221 


with  clean  water  if  the  slops  are  strong  with  soap  and 

washing  powder.   One  bright 

girl,  a  member  of  a  canning 

club,  put  an  empty  tin  can 

with  holes  in  the  lower  part 

in  the  ground  near  the  roots 

of  each  tomato  plant,  and 

kept  each  can  full  of  water. 

She  was  amply  paid  for  her 

trouble  by  the  large  crop  of 

the  fruit  in  a  dry  season. 
Planting  in  succession. 
One  can  have 
each  kind  of 
vegetable  last- 
ing over  a  pe- 
riod of  sev- 
eral weeks, 
by  planting 
early  and  late 
varieties    of 

the  kind,  and  by  planting  several  times. 
This  more  than  pays  for  all  the  trou- 
ble. 

Plant  insects  and  diseases.     Watch  for 
them  above  ground  and  below.     Send  for 
advice   to  your   State    College.     Letting 
things  go  is  ruinous  in  the  end.     Some- 
body has  suggested  farming  as  a  moral  substitute  for 


CouTtesv  of  New  York  State  College  of 
Agriculture  at  ComeU  University. 

Fig.  98.  —  The  tools  Mrs.  Allen  and 
Marjorie  found  necessary  for  mak- 
ing and  cultivating  their  home 
garden. 


Courtesy  of  New  Yorl 
State  College  of  Agri- 
culture at  Cornell 
University. 

Fig.  99.  —  Mar- 
j  o  r  i  e  Allen 
learned  to  wrap 
paper  around  a 
seedling  to  keep 
off  cutworms. 


222 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


war.     Do   you   understand   what   this    means?     Ask 
your  father's  opinion  of  this. 

What  shall  we  have  ?     Study  your  seed  catalogue  and 
try  new  kinds.     Lettuce,  spinach,  radishes,  asparagus. 


Courtesy  of  Mrs.  Hetty  Browne,  Winthrop  Normal  and  Industrial  CoUege. 


Fig.  ioo.  —  The  boys  and  girls  with  the  teacher  are  making  a  school  garden  at 
the  Oak  Ridge  School  in  another  wide-awake  town. 


peas,  beans  (string  and  shell),  summer  squash,  summer 
turnips,  early  beets,  early  carrots,  tomatoes,  cucumbers, 
sweet  corn,  lima  beans,  cauliflower,  cabbage,  —  these 
are  the  staples,  but  there  are  still  others.  The  winter 
vegetables  need  to  be  grown  in  larger  quantity  than  you 
can  manage  alone. 

Picking    vegetables.     Gather    green    vegetables    as 
near  the  time  of  cooking  as  possible.     In  hot  weather 


THE  HOME   DINNER 


223 


224 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


It  is  pleasant  in  the  cool  of  the  day  after  supper  to 
gather  them  for    use    next  day,  however.     Peas    and 

beans  can  be  picked  in  the 
evening,  shelled  and  pre- 
pared. Potatoes  and  root 
vegetables  do  not  lose  fresh- 
ness at  once.  Lettuce,  spin- 
ach, and  cucumbers  should 
be  put  in  cold  water  imme- 
diately. If  cucumbers  are 
pared  and  sliced,  or  cut 
lengthwise  and  put  in  salted 
water,  they  seem  to  become 
more  digestible  for  some 
people. 

Storing  winter  vegetables. 
Hard  squash,  pumpkins,  po- 
tatoes,   carrots,    beets,    tur- 

courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of         .                 ,   ,                   ^     ,                      ■,       k 
Agriculture  at  Cornell  University.         UlpS,  CaDDageS  (alSO  appleSJ 

Fig.    102. -Fruit    and    vegetables    ^^at  shall  We  do  with  thcse  ? 
keep  firm  and  fresh  for  a  longer  .  . 

time  if  stored    in   a   cellar  venti-     YoU  See,   StOHUg   IS  3.   Way  of 

lated  in  some  simple  way  like  this,  preserving  for  a  time  the  veg- 
etables that  do  not  easily  spoil.  You  need  a  dry  storage 
place,  above  the  freezing  point,  yet  not  too  warm.  It 
is  much  better  to  have  a  storehouse  dug  into  the  ground 
for  this  purpose  than  to  keep  many  vegetables  under 
the  house.  If  this  cannot  be,  partition  off  a  part  of 
the  cellar  for  vegetables.  In  some  way  arrange  to  have 
air  enter  it  when  the  weather  is  not  too  cold ;  and  in 


THE  HOME   DINNER 


225 


CELERY^ 


Carbohydrates:  3 

Ash:1.0 


Water:94.5 


Protein 


Fuel   value; 
Fuel  value:       I 

230  calories 
per  pound 


D 

85  calories 
per  pound 


Fig.   103.  —  (a)  Composition  of  celery. 


PARSNIP 

(b)  Composition  of  a  parsnip. 


Water:75.4 


GREEN    CORN. 

EDIBLE  PORTION 


Protein:3.1 


Carbohydrates:  19.7 
^Ash:0.7 


Fat:1.1 


(c)  Composition  of  green  corn. 
Edible  portion. 


^  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.  Office  of  Experiment 
Station,  A.  C.  True,  Director.  Prepared  by  C.  F.  Langworthy,  Expert  in 
charge  of  Nutrition  Investigations. 


226  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

early  spring  give  it  a  "  big  "  cleaning  out,  finishing  off 
with  whitewash. 

What  foodstuffs  do  vegetables  give  us  ?  We  may, 
indeed,  look  with  pride  upon  the  results  of  our  working 
with  nature,  for  each  vegetable  is  a  little  storehouse 
of  materials,  taken  from  the  earth,  air,  and  water,  that 
are  sources  of  health  and  strength  for  us.  Remember  in 
particular  the  iron,  the  lime,  the  sulphur,  and  all  the 
other  minerals  that  Mother  Nature  has  laid  away  so 
cunningly  and  that  we  sO  greatly  need.  Taking  into 
account  all  the  varieties,  we  eat  every  part  of  a  plant, 
if  not  always  the  whole  of  any  one — cauliflower  is  a  de- 
formed flower,  you  know. 

The  seeds  Contain  all  the  foodstuffs. 

Well-developed   peas  and    beans  are  rich 
in  protein. 
Roots    and    tubers         Contain  all  the  foodstuffs. 

(the  potato)  and         Small  amount  of  protein  and  fat. 
the  bulb  (onion)  Much  starch  or  some  form  of  sugar. 

Rinds  (squash  and         Containall  the  foodstuffs  in  small  amounts. 

pumpkin)  Mineral  substances  the  chief  value. 

Leaves  and  stems  Very  valuable  on  account  of  the  mineral 

matter.     Other  substances  in  such  sm'all 
quantities  that  they  are  not  important. 

Make  your  own  list  in  your  notebook,  putting 
against  seeds  all  the  seed  vegetables  that  you  know,  and 
so  on.  Where  will  you  put  string  beans  ?  This  list  is 
useful  in  connection  with  that  just  given,  because  it 
will  show  you  the  chief  food  value  of  each  kind. 


THE   HOME   DINNER  227 

If  you  have  a  good  supply  of  many  varieties,  you  will 
use  less  meat  in  summer.  Eating  vegetables  is  much 
better  for  you,  and  for  your  purse. 

Eating  vegetables  raw.  We  can  eat  lettuce  and  some 
other  green  leaves  raw.  We  enjoy  crisp  radishes,  cu- 
cumber, and  celery,  and  tomatoes  and  melons,  which 
are  **  fruit "  rather  than  "vegetables."  Our  work 
with  these  is  to  serve  them  clean  and  cool  and  to  remove 
only  the  tougher  outside  skin. 

How  shall  we  best  cook  our  vegetables  ?  This  story 
will  amuse  you.  One  day  a  mistress  asked  her  cook 
to  bring  the  meat  soup  from  the  refrigerator  that  she 
herself  might  prepare  it  for  the  dinner.  The  cook 
brought  a  bowl  with  a  bone,  bare  except  for  gristle  and 
a  few  dry  strings  of  meat.  "  But  where  is  the  soup  .?  " 
*'  Oh,  ma'am,  this  is  all  the  soup  there  was  when  I  threw 
away  the  water  !  "  But  what  has  happened  if  you  cook 
spinach  in  a  kettle  of  boiling  salted  water  and  strain  off 
all  the  water  ?  You  have  left  behind  little  more  than 
the  bones  of  the  spinach,  for  in  that  water  was  lost  the 
precious  iron  that  you  so  much  need.  After  such 
struggles  to  store  up  food  material  it  seems  a  bit  foolish 
to  throw  it  away,  does  it  not .?  "  Shall  we  never  boil 
vegetables,  then  .?  "  Yes,  sometimes,  but  not  often. 
We  will  look  into  this  a  little  further. 

What  does  cooking  do  to  vegetables  ?  You  know 
already  what  happens  to  the  vegetable  fiber  and 
starch.  Where  there  is  protein  the  change  in  cooking 
is  not  very  important.     The  heat  does  not  change  the 


228  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

mineral  matter,  but  the  water  dissolves  out  the  mineral 
substances  to  a  large  extent. 

What  can  you  do  then  to  save  the  mineral  matter  ? 
One  way  is  to  use  as  little  water  as  possible,  and  then 
use  the  water ;  that  is,  have  only  so  much  water  that 
by  the  time  the  vegetables  are  tender  there  is  so  little 
liquid  left  in  the  bottom  of  the  pot  that  it  can  be 
served  with  the  vegetables.  Perhaps  this  table  will 
help  you  : 

Bake  when  you  can  Potatoes,   squash,   corn,   even  young 

beets,  old  beans,  and  peas. 
Steam  when  you  can  Any    vegetable.     In    a    steamer    the 

cooking  takes  more  time. 
Stew    when    you    can  Spinach,  celery,  string  beans,  tender 

(This  means  so  little  peas,  and  so  on. 

water    that    none    is 

thrown  away.) 
Boil   in   large   quantity         Old,   strong-flavored   vegetables,   be- 

of  water   and   throw  cause  you  want  to  be  rid   of  the 

away  the  water  flavor — strong  onions  and  cabbage. 

Time-table  for  stewing,  boiling,  and  baking. 

Fifteen  minutes.  Tender  cabbage  and  sweet  corn.  These 
are  usually  cooked  too  long. 

Thirty  minutes.  Asparagus,  peas,  potatoes  of  medium  size, 
summer  squash,  tomatoes. 

Forty-five  minutes.  Young  beets  and  carrots,  onions,  young 
parsnips,  medium  potatoes  baked,  sweet  potatoes  boiled. 

One  hour.  String  and  shelled  beans,  cauliflower,  oyster 
plant ;  winter  squash,  steamed  or  baked ;  young  turnips. 

Two  hours.     Old  carrots,  beets,  and  turnips. 

^ix  to  eight  hours  {or  more).  Dried  beans,  lentils,  and 
peas,  baked  in  the  oven,  with  water  added. 


THE   HOME   DINNER  229 

Stewed  celery. 

(A  green  vegetable.)  Stalks  of  celery,  too  tough  or  coarse 
for  serving  uncooked,  are  delicious  when  stewed.  The  pro- 
cess is  simple.  Wash,  scrape,  and  cut  the  stalks  crosswise. 
Place  them  in  a  stewpan,  barely  cover  with  hot  water,  adding 
a  teaspoonful  of  salt  to  a  pint  of  celery.  Cook  gently  for  half 
an  hour  or  until  the  celery  is  tender.  Use  the  liquid  remaining 
in  making  a  sauce,  adding  some  milk  to  make  the  necessary 
amount  of  liquid.  Three  fourths  of  a  cup  of  sauce  is  enough 
for  a  pint  of  celery.     (See  page  64.) 

Cabbage. 

The  method  given  makes  cabbage  a  delicious  and  attractive 
vegetable,  as  delicate  as  cauliflower;  and  the  odor  in  the 
kitchen  is  not  noticeable. 

Select  a  small  cabbage,  with  the  ribs  in  the  leaves  not  too 
thick.  Prepare  the  cabbage  before  washing  it  by  cutting  out 
the  stalks  from  below  with  a  sharp  knife.  Separate  the 
leaves.  Have  ready  the  largest  kettle  available,  nearly 
full  of  rapidly  boiling  water.  Drop  in  one  cabbage  leaf  at  a 
time,  pressing  each  one  down  with  a  long-handled  spoon  or 
skimmer.  Do  this  so  slowly  that  the  water  does  not  stop 
boiling.  Leave  the  kettle  uncovered,  and  allow  the  cabbage 
to  cook  from  12  to  15  minutes,  depending  on  the  thickness  of 
the  leaf  stalks.  Remove  the  leaves  with  a  long-handled 
skimmer,  putting  them  into  a  colander  standing  on  a  plate. 
Immediately  pour  the  hot  water  down  the  sink  drain,  turn  on 
the  cold  water  to  flush  away  the  odor,  and  fill  the  kettle  with 
cold  water.  While  the  cabbage  is  cooking,  you  have  made  a 
pint  of  butter  sauce,  adding  a  teaspoonful  of  salt,  and  have 
prepared  J  cup  of  buttered  crumbs.  Cut  the  cabbage  leaves 
slightly,  placing  them  in  a  baking  dish ;  pour  the  sauce  over 
them,  sprinkle  the  crumbs  on  the  top,  and  brown  the  crumbs 
in  the  oven. 


230 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 


Fig.  104.  —  Baked  beans.     The  beans  are  thoroughly  cooked,  but  firm  and 

whole. 


Baked  beans. 


(A  nitrogenous  vegetable  and  a  meat  substitute.)  This 
dish,  known  in  old  days  in  New  England,  was  baked  to  per- 
fection in  the  old  brick  oven.  Baked  beans  seem  difficult  of 
digestion  for  some  people.  The  mustard  is  supposed  to  be 
helpful,  and  adds  something  to  the  flavor.  If  the  molasses  is 
omitted,  or  but  a  small  amount  used,  and  if  butter  takes  the 
place  of  pork  or  suet,  the  beans  seem  more  digestible.  In 
diflPerent  parts  of  New  England  the  dish  is  varied.  Some 
people  prefer  rather  dry  baked  beans ;  others  wish  them  moist 
and  very  sweet. 


THE  HOME   DINNER  231 

What  and  how  much. 

I  quart  of  white  beans 

I  teaspoonful  of  soda 

J  lb.  salt  pork  or  more,  or 

4  tablespoonfuls  of  beef  fat  or  butter  substitute 

Molasses,  from  two  tablespoonfuls  to  |  cup,  or  none 

I  teaspoonful  of  mustard 

Utensils.     A  kettle.     A  covered  bean  pot. 

How  to  make.  Wash  and  soak  the  beans  in  cold  water  over 
night.  Pour  off  any  water  that  remains.  Put  the  beans 
into  the  kettle,  cover  with  cold  water,  add  the  soda,  and  cook 
gently  until  the  beans  are  slightly  softened.  The  soda  aids 
the  softening.  Pour  off  the  water  again,  and  put  the  beans 
into  the  pot.  Mix  the  molasses  and  mustard  with  a  pint  of 
water,  and  pour  this  over  the  beans,  adding  more  water  if  the 
beans  are  not  covered.  Place  the  pork  or  other  fat  upon  the 
beans,  and  cover  the  pot.  If  fat  other  than  pork  is  used,  salt 
must  be  added  to  the  beans.  The  beans  should  bake  slowly 
for*  from  6  to  8  hours,  and  even  longer  in  a  very  slow  oven. 

Baked  peas. 

Save  old  peas  from  the  garden  and  dry.  Bake  as  for  beans. 
They  soften  sooner  than  beans. 

Vegetable  soups. 

When  milk  is  used  with  the  vegetable,  you  have  a  most 
nutritious  dish.  When  made  with  milk,  they  are  a  good  dish 
for  a  winter  dinner  or  supper.  We  do  not  seem  to  need  or 
want  them  so  much  in  hot  weather.  Use  them,  too,  for  the 
school  luncheon. 

Your  father  and  brother  may  think  that  they  do  not  like 
soup  at  any  time.  Give  them  this  soup  some  cold  winter 
night,  with  small  pieces  of  toast  in  it.  The  luncheon  club 
had  it  at  school  one  cold  noon.  Barbara  Groves  made  it  for 
the  home  supper. 


232  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Potato  soup. 

What  and  how  much. 

Potato  I  cup,  mashed 

Milk  I  quart 

Flour  I  tablespoonful 

Butter  I  tablespoonful 

Salt  2  teaspoonfuls 

Celery  stalks,  cut  small  i  teaspoonful 

Onion,  chopped  i  tablespoonful 

Pepper,  cayenne  To  taste 

Remarks.  If  a  thicker  soup  is  desired,  use  more  of  the 
mashed  potato.  If  celery  salt  is  used,  omit  one  teaspoonful 
of  thp  salt.     Less  onion  may  be  used,  and  the  pepper  omitted. 

Utensils.  Make  the  list  yourself,  after  reading  the  direc- 
tions for  mixing. 

How  to  mix.  Boil  and  mash  the  potato,  or  use  cold  mashed 
potato.  Heat  the  milk  in  the  double  boiler  with  the  celery 
and  onion.  Add  the  milk  gradually  to  the  mashed,  potato, 
beating  vigorously. 

Put  this  mixture  through  a  strainer  into  the  double  boiler, 
and  reheat  it.  Melt  the  butter  in  a  small  saucepan,  and  stir  in 
the  flour ;  add  slowly  half  a  cup  of  the  soup  to  the  butter  and 
flour  paste ;  and  then  pour  this  slowly  into  the  mixture  in  the 
double  boiler,  stirring  all  the  time.  The  soup  will  be  ready 
to  serve  in  about  ten  minutes. 

The  important  point  in  this  recipe  is  the  quality  of  the 
mashed  potato.  It  should  be  dry  and  Hght.  It  may  be  made 
from  hot,  mealy  baked  potatoes.  If  cold  mashed  potato  is 
used,  this  should  be  made  light  again  with  a  fork.  This 
amount  will  serve  four  to  six  people. 

Dried  vegetable  soups. 

Mollie  Stark  made  a  dried  pea  soup  in  their  Aladdin  oven, 
cooking  the  peas  for  some  six  to  eight  hours,  and  adding  some 


THE   HOME   DINNER  233 

milk  and  seasoning  at  the  end.  Beans  make  excellent  soup 
boiled  with  a  little  pork.  It  is  impossible  to  give  a  rule  for  the 
amount  of  water  or  length  of  time.  Water  has  to  be  added 
from  time  to  time,  and  the  beans  can  simmer  on  the  back  of 
the  stove  all  day.  The  water  can  be  allowed  to  boil  away  until 
the  mass  is  rather  thick,  and  the  milk  added  just  before  serving. 


Cream  of  tomato  soup. 

What  and  how  much. 

Tomato  juice 

§  cup 

Milk 

I  quart 

Flour 

2  tablespoonfuls 

Butter 

2  tablespoonfuls 

Salt 

2  teaspoonfuls 

Bicarbonate  of  soda 

1  teaspoonful 

Pepper,  cayenne  To  taste 

Remarks.  Celery  and  onion  may  be  added,  but  are  not 
necessary.  When  you  become  expert,  you  will  be  able  to  use 
a  larger  amount  of  tomato  juice,  and  even  to  omit  the  soda. 

How  to  mix.  This  you  will  be  able  to  work  out  for  your- 
self. First  perform  this  simple  experiment.  Stir  together  a 
tablespoonful  of  stewed  tomato  and  a  tablespoonful  of  milk. 
What  happens  ^.  Heat  this  mixture.  What  further  do  you 
notice  ?  How  may  you  best  extract  the  juice  from  the  tomato  ? 
You  have  noticed  the  effect  of  the  acid  tomato  upon  the  milk. 
The  soda  is  added  to  prevent  this  effect.  Will  you  stir  the 
soda  into  the  tomato  juice  or  into  the  milk  .^  Will  you  stir 
the  tomato  juice  into  the  milk,  or  the  milk  into  the  tomato 
juice  .?  Will  you  cook  the  mixture  at  all  ?  How  long  before 
serving  will  you  mix  the  two .?  When  will  you  add  the  butter 
and  flour .? 

The  important  point  in  this  soup  is  to  prevent  the  curdling; 
so  you  safeguard  the  milk  at  each  step. 

Squares  of  toast  may  be  served  with  any  of  these  soups. 


234  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Send  for  a  seed  catalogue  to  some  firm  near  home. 

2.  Try  at  least  two  or  three  new  vegetables  that  you  never  have 
had  for  the  home  table. 

3.  Make  a  drawing  of  a  garden  that  you  might  have  at  home. 

4.  What  are  some  of  the  points  that  you  must  have  in  mind 
in  selecting  a  garden  plot  ? 

5.  Notice  the  insects  and  plant  diseases  that  are  most  common 
in  your  own  place.  Ask  your  teacher  to  discuss  these  at  school 
and  to  help  you  to  find  the  pamphlets  that  will  tell  about  rem- 
edies. 

6.  What  do  you  throw  away  if  you  cook  spinach  in  a  large 
kettle  of  water  and  drain  off  all  the  water  ? 

7.  Take  the  rule  for  potato  soup,  and  plan  for  other  vegetables 
to  use  in  place  of  it. 

8.  Do  the  same  thing  with  the  tomato  soup.  (Notice  that  in 
one  you  use  a  pulp  and  in  the  other  a  vegetable  juice.) 

9.  Why  is  it  important  to  have  vegetables  every  day  ? 

10.  Which  one  of  the  recipes  in  this  lesson  gives  you  a  meat 
substitute .? 

Lesson  25 

DISHES    FOR   dessert 

There  are  many  desserts  as  nice,  easier  to  make,  and  better  for 
us  to  eat  than  pie.     What  are  some  that  we  can  make  ? 

Miss  James  explained  to  her  class  that  puddings  and 
pies  contain  good  food  material,  and  said  once  more 
that  they  are  a  part  of  a  dinner  or  supper,  not  to  be 
eaten  when  we  are  fully  satisfied.  The  pudding  or  pie 
for  dessert  does  not  need  to  be  expensive. 


THE   HOME   DINNER  235 

One  of  the  schoolgirls  asked  if  they  might  not  have 
an  exhibit  of  different  desserts.  This  lesson  has  a  few 
pictures  of  those  that  were  displayed.  By  each  plate 
there  was  a  neatly  printed  card  giving  the  recipe,  the 
length  of  time  taken  to  make  it,  and  the  cost.  The 
amount  of  time  that  we  put  into  cooking  is  something 
that  we  should  be  careful  to  watch.  While  we  may 
enjoy  eating  a  sweet  dish  at  the  end  of  the  meal,  how 
foolish  it  is  to  spend  an  hour  or  more  in  fancy  cooking 
when  there  are  other  things  to  do  that  are  so  much  more 
interesting  and  worth  while.  The  dish  may  be  attrac- 
tive in  appearance  and  yet  quite  easy  to  make.  If  you 
have  an  old-fashioned  cook  book  at  home,  you  will  be 
interested  to  see  how  much  time  was  sometimes  given 
to  the  making  of  an  elaborate  dish  to  be  eaten  in  a 
very  few  minutes. 

How  many  kinds  of  dessert  are  there  ?  Pies  and 
tarts  and  puddings,  both  hot  and  cold  ;  fruit  in  every 
shape  ;  jellies,  custards,  ices  and  ice  cream  ;  nuts  and 
raisins  ;  crackers  and  cheese  alone  or  with  fruit.  One 
very  simple  dessert  for  a  hot  day  is  sour-milk  cheese,  or 
cream  cheese  with  crackers  and  a  little  jam  or  jelly. 

Our  desserts  may  be  made  of  eggs,  milk,  cream,  gela- 
tin ;  stale  cake  and  bread ;  baking-powder  biscuit 
crusts,  shortcakes,  and  pastry.  We  also  use  starchy  sub- 
stances,—  cornstarch,  arrowroot,  tapioca,  and  manioca  ; 
and  fruit  of  every  possible  kind.  The  animal  products 
important  in  desserts,  in  addition  to  milk  and  eggs,  are 
beef  suet,  butter,  and  lard. 


236 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


You  will  find  it  very  amusing  to  study  several  cook 
books,  and  see  how  many  desserts  can  be  made  from 


Courtesy  ofDept.  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College. 
Fig.   105. — A  gelatin  mold  is  an  attractive  dessert. 

these  materials.  We  have  not  room  for  many  in  this 
little  book,  but  there  are  a  few  to  try  at  home  and,  per- 
haps, at  school. 

Fruit  desserts.  In  the  lessons  on  fruit  you  have 
learned  something  about  its  use  for  dessert :  fruit 
stewed,  fruit  scalloped,  and  fruit  with  a  baking-powder 
crust.    Here  is  another  kind  of  fruit  dessert  for  a  hot  day : 


Fruit  sponge,  with  cornstarch. 

What  and  how  much. 
Fruit  juice 
Water 


I  cup 
I  cup 


or 


THE  HOME   DINNER  237 


Lemon  juice 

I  or  2  lemons 

Water 

2  cups 

Sugar 

2  or  3  tablespoonfuls 

Cornstarch 

3  tablespoonfuls 

Eggs 

2  or  3 

How  to  make.  Cook  the  cornstarch  and  the  water  in  a  stew- 
pan  until  the  mixture  is  clear.  Add  the  sugar  and  the  fruit 
juice,  and  remove  from  the  fire  to  cool.  Beat  the  whites  of 
the  eggs  very  stiff.  When  the  cooked  mixture  has  cooled  off 
slightly,  fold  in  the  beaten  whites  very  lightly. 

Pour  this  mixture  into  small  cups,  one  for  each  person,  or 
into  a  larger  dish.  The  cups  or  dish  should  have  cold  water 
standing  in  them,  while  the  pudding  is  making.  Set  the 
sponge  away  to  become  cold  ;  on  the  ice  if  possible.  Use  the 
yolks  for  custard  to  serve  with  the  sponge,  page  245,  or  use 
them  in  cake  or  muffins. 


Lemon  jelly. 

What  and  how  much. 

Shredded  gelatin 

Jbox 

OT 

Granulated  gelatin 

2  tablespoonfuls 

Lemon  juice 

i  cup 

Cold  water 

icup 

Boiling  water 

2|  cups 

Sugar 

I  cup 

How  to  make.  Soak  the  gelatin  in  cold  water  for  20  minutes. 
Add  the  boiling  water  and  sugar,  and  stir  until  it  dissolves. 
Add  the  lemon  juice  and  strain  into  a  mold  and  set  away  to 
harden.  When  it  is  stiff,  loosen  from  the  sides  of  the  mold 
(a  cloth  wrung  out  of  hot  water  may  be  needed).  Turn  upon 
a  plate  and  serve  with  whipped  cream  or  soft  custard. 


238  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Remarks.  When  a  less  acid  fruit  juice  is  used,  take  more 
juice  and  less  water.  The  jelly  can  be  made  spongy  by  beat- 
ing in  the  white  of  eggs.  When  the  jelly  is  firm,  beat  it  and 
fold  in  the  whites. 

Milk  desserts.  On  the  farm  where  milk  is  good  and 
plentiful  we  cannot  use  too  much  of  it.  If  we  tire  of 
drinking  it,  then  we  may  use  it  with  other  materials, 
and  still  have  all  the  food  value  of  the  milk.  We  learned 
about  renneted  milk  in  Lesson  4. 

Milk  can  be  made  into  a  molded  pudding,  stiffened 
with  cornstarch,  arrowroot,  farina,  sago,  rice,  gelatin, 
bread  crumbs,  sea  moss. 

Flavors  for  milk  desserts.  One  may  use  vanilla, 
almond,  and  lemon  essence  ;  grated  lemon  rind  or  or- 
ange rind ;  stick  cinnamon,  or  ground  cinnamon,  nut- 
meg ;  cocoa,  or  chocolate,  or  coffee  ;  caramel  made  from 
browned  sugar ;  and  even  a  little  fruit  juice,  if  it  is  not 
too  acid  (the  juice  of  a  sweet  orange  with  the  rind  is 
delicious  in  a  milk  pudding)  ;  raisins,  figs,  and  dates. 
Cornstarch  pudding. 

What  and  how  much. 

Milk  2  cups 

Cornstarch  4  tablespoonfuls 

Sugar  3  to  4  tablespoonfuls 

Salt  J  teaspoonful 

Chocolate  or  powdered  I  ounce 

cocoa  (if  desired) 
Vanilla  \  teaspoonful 

How  to  make.  You  have  seen  your  mother  make  laundry 
starch,  have  you  not }     Perhaps  you  have  done  it  yourself. 


THE  HOME  DINNER 


239 


The  cornstarch  must  be  mixed  with  a  little  of  the  milk  cold 
and  then  stirred  into  the  hot  milk  to  cook  half  an  hour.  When 
will  you  add  the  sugar  and  salt,  and  the  chocolate  if  you  use 


Cottrtesy  0/  Dept.  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  UnlversUy. 
Fig.  106.  —  A  cornstarch  mold  served  with  fruit. 

it .?  Remember  that  if  you  put  the  vanilla  in  at  first  you 
will  smell  it  as  the  pudding  cooks.  If  it  passes  oflF  as  a  fra- 
grance, you  will  not  have  it  as  a  flavor.     When  will  you  add  it .? 

Creamy  rice  pudding. 

What  and  how  much. 
Rice  (washed) 
Sugar 
Salt 
Milk 

Cinnamon 
Grating  of  nutmeg 
Seeded  raisins 


icup 

i  cup 

I  teaspoonful 

4  cups 

i  teaspoonful 


t  cup 


How  to  make.     This  pudding  needs  long,  slow  cooking  and  is 
better  when  made  from  two  or  three  quarts  of  milk.     It  is 


240  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

easier  to  make,  when  you  scald  the  milk  and  cook  the  rice  in  it 
until  it  begins  to  swell.  Grease  the  baking  dish ;  put  in  the 
rice  with  all  the  other  materials.  Cover  the  baking  dish,  and 
set  it  in  a  slow  oven.  This  pudding  cooks  well  in  an  Atkinson 
oven.  Stir  the  pudding  gently  with  a  fork  two  or  three  times 
while  it  is  baking.  The  baking  should  last  for  three  or  four 
hours  or  even  more.  At  the  very  end  remove  the  cover  to 
brown  the  top,  if  you  wish. 


Suet  pudding. 

What  and  how  much. 

Suet  chopped 

I  cup 

Beef  fat 

\  cup 

Raisins,  currants, 

and 

citron 

sliced 

I  cup 

Egg 

I 

Sweet  milk 

I  cup 

Molasses 

i  cup 

Soda 

I  teaspoonful 

Salt 

\  teaspoonful 

Flour 

I  cup 

Bread  crumbs 

zk  cups 

How  to  make.  Skin,  wash,  and  chop  the  suet,  and  dredge 
with  flour.  Wash,  pick  over,  and  seed  the  dried  fruit,  slice 
the  citron  if  it  is  used,  and  dredge  all  with  flour.  Stir  together 
the  milk  and  molasses,  sift  the  dry  materials  with  the  flour, 
and  stir  the  liquid  into  the  flour  slowly.  Add  the  suet,  beating 
the  mass  thoroughly,  and  last  put  in  the  fruit,  sprinkling  in 
both  the  suet  and  the  fruit  as  you  stir.  Fill  a  greased  mold 
or  pail  f  full,  close  tightly,  and  cook  in  a  kettle  of  boiling 
water  for  three  hours.     Serve  with  foamy  sauce. 

Baked  Indian  pudding. 

This  is  one  of  Grandmother  Stark's  specialties  which  she 
makes  for  church  suppers  and  sends  to  her  friends  sometimes  as 


THE   HOME   DINNER  241 

a  present.  Grandmother  Stark  loves  to  tell  of  the  days  when 
she  used  to  see  it  baked  in  the  old  brick  oven,  and  she  insists 
that  even  the  Atkinson  cooker  does  not  give  quite  the  same 
flavor.  She  thinks,  too,  that  the  pudding  is  not  perfectly  made 
with  less  than  a  milk  pan  full  of  milk  and  with  old-fashioned 
meal ;  but  she  is  much  pleased  when  other  people  praise  her 
puddings  made  of  a  smaller  size.  It  is  hardly  worth  while  to 
bake  it  in  a  pan  smaller  than  the  two-quart  size.  Use  an 
earthen  baking  dish. 

What  and  how  much. 

Milk  2  quarts 

Indian  meal  J  cup  (or  even  \) 

Molasses  (dark  colored)  J  to  i  cup 

Salt  I  teaspoonful 

How  to  make.  Scald  half  the  milk,  stir  into  it  the  meal 
mixed  with  a  little  cold  milk,  and  cook  until  the  mixture 
thickens  a  little.  Add  the  molasses  and  salt.  Pour  into  the 
greased  baking  dish,  add  the  rest  of  the  milk,  cover,  and  put 
into  a  very  slow  oven.  To  be  perfect  this  pudding  should 
bake  from  six  to  eight  hours,  or  overnight  in  the  Atkinson 
oven.  Brown  the  top  at  the  last.  It  can  be  eaten  hot  or  cold. 
This  slow  cooking  seems  to  dissolve  the  Indian  meal,  whey 
is  formed,  and  when  the  pudding  cools  this  makes  a  jelly.^ 

What  shall  we  do  about  pies  ^.  When  Miss  Travers 
talked  about  pies  to  the  Woman's  Club  at  one  of  their 
meetings  in  the  Pleasant  Valley  School,  a  very  lively 
discussion  followed.     Mrs.  Groves  said  that  her  husband 

^  Some  people  add  an  egg  and  butter,  but  this  is  not  necessary.  Others 
like  the  flavor  of  a  little  ginger.  A  fairly  good  pudding  is  made  by  using 
much  more  meal,  cooking  the  milk  and  meal  longer  in  a  double  boiler,  and 
then  baking  for  an  hour,  but  it  is  very  inferior  to  Grandmother  Stark's 
pudding.  ^ 


242  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

wanted  pie  three  times  a  day.  Another  of  the  ladies 
said  that  her  husband  would  like  pie  perhaps  five  times 
a  day,  between  meals  as  well  as  at  meals,  but  that  the 
doctor  had  advised  him  to  go  without  pie  altogether. 

Miss  Travers  said  that  it  is  true  of  pie,  as  of  any  other 
food  containing  a  large  amount  of  fat  and  sugar,  that 
we  should  not  eat  it  too  often.  The  fat  and  sugar 
give  the  pie  a  high  food  value.  If  the  crust  is  porous 
and  light,  thoroughly  baked,  and  then  thoroughly  mas- 
ticated, it  has  its  place  in  the  list  of  dishes  from  which 
the  housekeeper  makes  the  plans  of  her  meals.  A  little 
baking  powder  makes  the  crust  more  porous.  Do  not 
eat  pies  every  day,  and  remember  to  have  pie  at  the 
end  of  the  meal  where  there  is  not  a  large  amount  of 
protein  and  fat  in  other  dishes. 

Some  suggestions  for  making  pies  more  digestible. 

1.  With  fruit  pies  use  a  deep  dish  and  have  a  top 
crust  over  it. 

2.  When  you  want  a  pie  without  a  top,  like  pumpkin 
or  squash  pie,  bake  the  under  crust  first,  brushing  on 
a  little  white  of  egg  before  you  bake  it.  Then  fill  and 
bake  again. 

3.  Bake  the  pie  crust  in  squares  or  diamonds  or 
rounds  by  itself,  and  serve  on  a  plate  with  cooked  fruit. 

What  can  we  use  in  place  of  pie  crust  ?  A  baking- 
powder  crust  makes  a  very  good  substitute  for  a  pie 
crust,  and,  while  your  father  may  not  like  it  so  well  at 
first,  he  probably  will  find  it  much  better  for  him  in  the 
end.     A  light  baking-powder  crust  can  be  used  for  the 


THE   HOME   DINNER 


243 


Courtesy  of  Dept.  of  Foods  and  Cookery,  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University. 
Fig.   107.  —  Squares  of  pie  crust  served  with  jam. 


Courtesy  of  Dept.  of  Foods  arut  cooLLry,  Tecuhera  College,  ColumMa  University. 
Fig.   108.  — Squares  of  pie  crust  served  with  fruit.  ' 

top  of  a  fruit  or  meat  pie.     Bake  this  kind  of  crust  in 
a  jelly-cake  tin,  making  it  rather  thin,  until  it  is  quite 


244  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

brown.  Split,  and  put  fruit  between  the  crusts.  This 
becomes  a  shortcake  when  more  butter  is  used,  but  the 
ordinary  baking-powder  crust  is  rich  enough  for  every- 
day use.  The  crust  can  be  baked  and  cooled  and  served 
cold  with  the  fruit,  or  it  may  be  reheated  and  served. 

Making  ice  cream.  If  you  have  ice  on  the  farm,  you 
will  find  it  is  quite  easy  with  a  good  freezer  to  make  ice 
cream  or  sherbet  on  some  hot  day.  There  are  a  number 
of  freezers  for  sale  that  are  not  expensive,  and  that 
will  do  the  freezing  in  about  twenty  minutes.  Mollie 
Stark  and  her  brothers  make  their  ice  cream  without 
a  freezer,  using  a  tin  pail  with  a  cover  set  in  a  tub. 
Mollie  and  her  brothers  divide  the  work  in  this  way: 
the  boys  bring  a  piece  of  ice  from  the  icehouse,  put  it 
into  a  heavy  bag,  and  pound  it.  Mollie  makes  a  custard 
by  the  recipe  that  follows,  and  when  it  is  cooled  off  she 
puts  it  into  the  tin  pail,  but  she  does  not  have  the  pail 
more  than  two  thirds  full.  Can  you  tell  why  ^  The 
boys  mix  one  part  of  coarse  salt  with  three  parts  of  ice, 
and  cover  the  bottom  of  a  wooden  box  with  this. 
Mollie  ties  paper  tightly  over  the  cover  of  the  pail, 
sets  it  in  the  box,  and  then  packs  the  ice  and  salt  all 
around  it.  The  box  is  four  or  five  inches  bigger  than 
the  pail.  Some  of  the  ice  and  salt  is  put  on  the  cover. 
Paper  is  laid  over  the  salt  and  a  clean  old  bed  quilt  is 
put  over  the  whole.  At  the  end  of  about  fifteen  minutes 
Mollie  opens  the  pail,  stirs  the  freezing  custard  with  a 
spoon,  and  covers  it  up  again  as  before.  This  has  to 
be  done  several  times,  depending  of  course  upon  the 


THE  HOME   DINNER  245 

amount  of  ice  cream  that  is  being  made.  This  method 
does  not  make  the  ice  cream  so  smooth  as  the  freezer 
where  you  turn  the  crank  all  the  time,  but  it  makes  a 
very  agreeable  dessert.  Here  are  two  rules  that  MoUie 
uses.  When  the  price  of  eggs  is  high,  MoUie  makes  a 
mixture  like  a  cornstarch  pudding,  using  less  corn- 
starch to  the  quart,  and  flavors  it  with  chocolate  or 
coffee,  or  stirs  in  some  cut-up  fruit  half  an  hour  before 
the  ice  cream  is  finished.  MoUie  sometimes  uses 
orange  juice  or  the  sirup  from  canned  peaches  or  berries 
in  the  sherbet. 

Custard  ice  cream. 

What  and  how  much. 

Milk  I  quart 

Sugar  i  or  j  cup 

Eggs  2 

Vanilla  i  tablespoonful 

How  to  make.  Scald  the  milk  and  sugar  together.  Beat 
the  eggs  and  stir  a  little  of  the  hot  milk  into  them,  and  then 
pour  the  beaten  eggs  into  the  hot  milk.  Stir  steadily  until 
the  mixture  thickens  a  little  on  the  spoon.  If  the  custard 
begins  to  curdle,  take  it  off  and  beat  it  rapidly  with  a  Dover 
egg  beater.  When  it  is  cool  and  ready  for  freezing,  stir  in  the 
vanilla.^ 

^  When  Mollie  wants  to  make  a  soft  custard,  she  uses  this  rule,  taking 
a  pint  of  milk,  two  tablespoonfuls  of  sugar,  one  tablespoonful  of  corn- 
starch, and  two  eggs.  You  have  made  cornstarch  pudding.  Which 
will  you  cook  first  in  the  milk,  the  cornstarch,  or  the  eggs  ?  Use  only 
half  a  teaspoonful  of  the  vanilla  or  other  flavoring.  This  soft  custard  is 
very  nice  poured  over  cut-up  oranges,  or  bananas,  or  peaches,  or  canned 
fruit. 


246  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Milk  sherbet. 

What  and  how  much. 

Milk  4  cups 

Sugar  i^  cups 

Lemons  juice  of  3 

How  to  make.  Mix  juice  and  sugar,  stirring  constantly  as 
you  slowly  add  the  milk.  If  the  mixture  should  curdle,  the 
curdle  will  disappear  when  frozen. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1 .  Look  in  the  dictionary  for  the  meaning  of  the  word  "  dessert." 

2.  Study  a  cook  book  and  see  what  recipes  there  are  for  using 
milk  in  a  pudding. 

3.  In  what  puddings  can  you  use  skimmed  milk  just  as  well  as 
whole  milk  ? 

4.  Explain  why  we  should  be  careful  not  to  eat  pie  too  often. 

5.  Explain  why  the  can  of  the  ice  cream  freezer  must  not  be 
filled  up  to  the  top  before  freezing. 

6.  Can  you  explain  why  a  mixture  of  ice  and  salt  will  freeze  the 
cream  when  ice  by  itself  would  only  cool  it  .^  (See  some  book  on 
physics.)  ^  ^ 

7.  We  have  cooked  several  kinds  of  food  in  a  number  of  different 
ways.  Make  a  list  of  cooking  processes  that  we  have  used.  After 
you  have  done  this,  look  on  page  294. 

Lesson  26 

cooking  apparatus 

How  can  we  save  heat  at  dinner  time,  and  other  times .? 

It  is  at  noon  of  a  hot  summer  day  that  preparing 
dinner  seems  such  a  burden,  and  oh  !  how  hot  that 
stove  makes  the  kitchen.     The  class  talked  one  day 


THE  HOME   DINNER  247 

about  apparatus  that  would  cook  the  food  without 
heating  the  cook. 

Different  ways  of  having  heat  for  cooking.  How 
interesting  it  would  be  if,  at  the  moment  you  are  reading 
this  page,  you  could  see  all  the  ways  in  which  people 
are  cooking.  Some  one,  somewhere,  has  a  camp  fire 
with  a  kettle  boiling  over  it ;  and,  far  away  in  some 
old-fashioned  house,  dinner  is  being  cooked  by  the  fire 
in  the  open  fireplace.  Somebody  is  turning  a  button, 
and  presto !  a  current  of  electricity  runs  along  a  wire 
fastened  to  a  cooking  utensil,  and  there  is  all  the  heat 
needed  and  no  more,  and  no  ashes,  and  no  hard  work. 
And  between  these  two,  the  newest  and  the  oldest 
fashions,  there  are  coal  stoves  and  wood  stoves,  natural 
and  manufactured  gas,  kerosene  and  gasoline  stoves, 
and  steam  cookers  ;  and  we  hear  about  fireless  cookers 
and  Atkinson  cookers. 

What  are  you  using  ^  Coal  or  wood  in  the  winter  for 
warmth  as  well  as  for  cooking .?  It  needs  a  well-made 
stove  for  either,  for  no  one  can  be  expected  to  do  good 
work  with  a  poor  stove.  With  the  coal  stove  you  must 
bring  in  coal  and  take  out  ashes,  and  space  must  be 
given  to  the  coal  bin  and  ash  pit.  Large  ranges,  resting 
upon  the  floor,  have  a  '*  dump  "  which  empties  the  ashes 
directly  into  the  ash  box  in  the  cellar.  A  range  the  size 
of  the  one  in  the  picture  (see  over)  would  serve  for  a 
family  of  five  or  six.  It  requires  from  2  to  3  hods  of  coal 
per  day.  A  hood  should  be  placed  above  a  large  range, 
whether  coal  or  wood,  with  a  pipe  into  the  chimney. 


248 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


Here  is  a  picture  (Fig.  IC9)  showing  a  section  of  a  coal 

stove  that  can  be  used  for  wood  with  a  different  grate. 

The  coal  range.     The  coal  box  at  (i)  has  a  lining  that 

keeps  the  iron  from  burning  out.     The  air  enters  at  (2) 


Courtesy  of  Ditroil  Stove  H'orlcs. 

Fig.   109.  —  A  modern  coal  range,  showing  the  parts  and  the  air  circulation. 

and  passes  out  at  (3),  when  the  fire  is  first  made.  When 
you  want  to  heat  the  oven,  a  damper  is  closed  at  (4), 
and  the  heated  air  then  passes  around  the  oven  in  the 
direction  of  the  arrows.  The  coal  is  put  in  at  (5),  and 
the  ashes  shaken  down  at  (6). 

Do  you  know  that  this  kind  of  stove  lets  most  of 
the  heat  go  up  the  chimney,  although  less  than  in  the 


THE   HOME   DINNER  249 

old-time  fireplace  ?  We  have  to  box  in  the  heat  to 
keep  it. 

Cooking  by  kerosene.  On  page  12  is  a  picture  (Fig. 
4)  of  a  kerosene  stove  with  wicks  where  the  kerosene 
is  made  to  burn  with  a  blue  flame. ^ 

A  blue  flame  always  gives  more  heat  than  a  yellow 
one.  A  yellow  flame  gives  light,  and  it  smokes  more 
easily  than  the  blue.  The  flame  on  this  stove  is  very 
hot,  the  oil  burns  out  slowly,  and  one  gallon  will  last 
about  15  hours.  If  one  is  careless  and  raises  the  wick 
too  high,  then  the  flame  grows  yellow  and  smoky,  and  it 
spoils  the  wick  and  makes  much  trouble.  Notice  the 
picture  (Fig.  4)  of  the  oven  which  is  placed  on  top  of 
the  stove  for  baking. 

This  was  one  of  the  first  summer  comforts  that  the 
Stark  family  tried,  and  they  were  surprised  to  see  how 
seldom  a  fire  in  the  wood  stove  was  needed. 

A  friend  who  was  interested  in  the  school  lunch  gave 
a  stove  of  this  pattern  to  the  Pleasant  Valley  School. 
The  members  of  the  Lunch  Club  took  turns  in  keeping 
it  clean,  and  they  found  that  it  saved  time  in  the  end 
to  attend  to  it  daily. 

Catching  heat  and  keeping  it  in  a  box.  The  picture 
(Fig.  no)  that  follows,  shows  one  way  of  doing  this. 
This  plan  was  invented  by  Mr.  Edward  Atkinson  of 
Boston,  who  wanted  to  teach  us  to  save  fuel  and  to  im- 
prove some  of  our  foods  by  cooking  them  slowly.     The 

^  In  many  parts  of  the  country  the  use  of  gasoline  is  forbidden. 
Stoves  are  made  especially  for  it. 


250 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


heat  comes  from  a  round-wicked  kerosene  lamp.  If  you 
try  to  hold  your  hand  over  the  chimney  of  a  large  lamp, 
you  realize  how  much  heat  is  given  off  ;  really  enough  to 
cook  with.  Around  the  iron  oven 
which  holds  the  food  there  is  a  box 
or  cover,  large  enough  to  leave  a 
space  between  the  inner  oven  and 
the  outer  box ;  and  the  outer  box 
is  made  of  something  that  does  not 
let  the  heat  through ;  so  the  heat 
is  in  a  trap,  and  does  the  work  of 
cooking. 

Food  cooked  in  this  way  has  a  fine 
taste,  because  the  flavor  has  not  gone 
off  in  the  air. 

'"LVeVpl'n^o.'crh-  A  homemade  Atkinson  cooker. 
ing  heat  and  keeping  it  The  Stark  family  made  a  cooker  at 
home.  They  could  not  have  the  same 
kind  of  oven,  because  in  the  Atkinson  ovens  that  one 
buys  the  outer  box  is  made  of  a  kind  of  fiber  or  pulp  ; 
but  they  talked  the  matter  over  at  home,  and  Mollie 
and  John  asked  this  question  at  school,  "  What  can 
be  used  to  keep  heat  in  or  out  ^  "  Why  do  you  have  a 
wooden  handle  on  a  poker  for  the  fire  .?  Why  do  you  use 
a  cloth  holder  for  a  flatiron  or  any  hot  metal  ?  Why  do 
you  want  a  blanket  over  you  on  a  cool  night .?  Some  sub- 
stances become  hot,  carry  heat,  and  lose  heat  quickly  ; 
and  these  are  called  "  conductors  "  of  heat :  others  heat 
slowly  and  cool  slowly  ;  and  those  are  "  nonconductors." 


THE   HOME   DINNER  251 

For  our  oven  cover,  then,  we  want  a  nonconductor.  The 
Starks  took  such  an  oven  as  we  use  on  a  kerosene  stove  ; 
they  found  a  wooden  box  larger  than  the  oven,  and  hned 
it  with  the  kind  of  tin  that  is  used  for  roofing.  They 
made  a  hole  in  the  bottom  of  the  wooden  box,  where  it 
would  come  just  over  the  lamp,  and  on  the  bottom  they 
put  the  tin  both  inside  and  outside  the  box,  that  the 
wood  might  not  catch  fire.  As  you  know,  wood  is  a 
poor  conductor ;  but  more  covering  is  needed  for  an 
oven  than  the  wooden  box  only. 

The  boys  covered  the  box  with  many  layers  of  paper, 
put  on  a  neat  outside  cover  of  white  oilcloth,  and  made 
a  stand  to  hold  the  box,  with  a  shelf  below  for  the 
lamp.  Whenever  you  want  to  keep  a  surface  from  giv- 
ing off  heat,  paint  it  white  or  use  a  white  cover.  A 
shiny  black  surface  will  radiate  heat.  This  has  been 
proved  by  experiment. 

At  first  Mrs.  Stark  was  disappointed  because  the  food 
came  from  the  oven  a  pale  rather  than  a  rich  brown.  ^ 
She  found  that,  like  all  other  conveniences,  the  cooker 
did  not  do  all  the  work.  But  Mr.  Stark  declared  that 
he  should  never  know  the  old  fowl  cooked  this  way  from  a 
spring  chicken,  for  it  was  so  tender  ;  and  that  the  brown 
bread,  beans,  and  Indian  pudding  tasted  more  like  the 
old-fashioned  kind  than  any  he  had  eaten  for  years. 
Slow  cooking  is  the  secret,  or  charm,  in  many  dishes, 

^  The  ready-made  oven  has  a  hole  in  the  top  with  a  cover,  and  the  cover 
can  be  taken  out  when  you  want  to  brown  something  over.  A  hole  can 
be  put  in  the  homemade  cooker. 


252  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

developing  a  richness  of  flavor  that  intense  heat  does 
not.  MolHe  became  very  expert  in  using  this  cooker, 
and  could  get  a  whole  dinner  with  it,  starting  the  cook- 
ing early  in  the  morning,  or  boiling  or  browning  one  or 
two  things  on  the  other  oil  stove.  This  gave  time  for 
work  in  the  garden,  or  for  sewing  and  reading  under  the 
trees. 

They  were  not  afraid  of  leaving,  the  lamp  burning 
all  night ;  and  it  was  comfortable  on  a  winter  morning 
to  take  from  the  oven,  "  piping  "  hot  and  ready  to  eat, 
the  cereal,  and  scalloped  potato,  and  fish  started  the 
night  before.  If  you  could  visit  the  Stark  family,  they 
would  advise  you  to  have  such  a  cooker,  too. 

Fireless  cookers.  One  day  at  school  the  Pleasant 
Valley  pupils  made  a  fireless  cooker.  This  kind  of 
cooker  has  another  way  of  keeping  heat  in  a  box,  and  it 
was  used  many  years  ago  in  Sweden.  Some  traveler  in 
Sweden  describes  the  way  he  saw  a  fowl  cooked.  The 
dressed  fowl  was  put  in  a  kettle  of  water,  the  water  was 
brought  to  the  boiling  point  on  the  stove  or  fire,  and 
then  the  kettle  itself  was  covered  and  placed  in  a  box, 
and  the  box  was  covered  with  some  nonconducting 
material.  Where  is  the  heat .?  In  the  kettle  of  water ; 
and,  as  it  cannot  escape,  it  cooks  the  fowl  !  Here  is 
a  picture  (Fig.  iii)  of  a  fireless  cooker  that  can  be 
made  at  home. 

A  fireless  cooker  made  at  school.  The  pupils  of  the 
Pleasant  Valley  School  made  one  from  two  wooden 
boxes,  one  three  or  four  inches  smaller  than  the  other. 


THE   HOME   DINNER 


253 


They  filled  in  the  space  between  with  sawdust  below  and 
around  the  sides.  The  inner  box  was  lined  with  white 
table  oilcloth.  They  were  careful  to  take  a  box  of  the 
size  and  shape  to 
hold  two  pails.  They 
could  not  put  saw- 
dust over  the  pails, 
and  so  they  made  a 
cover  from  an  old 
clean  blanket,  and 
covered  it  with  the 
table  oilcloth,  too. 
When  the  hot  ket- 
tles were  placed  in 
the  inner  box,  the 
woolen  cover  was 
laid  over  them,  and 
the  larger  box  cover 
fastened  down.  The 
outer  box  was 
painted  white. 

Some  of  the 
ready-made  cookers  have  a  place  to  slip  in  a  hot  iron 
or  soapstone,  and  hot  bricks  can  be  put  underneath 
the  kettle  in  the  homemade. 

Other  ways  to  make  a  fireless  cooker.  There  are 
other  things  of  which  the  home  cooker  can  be  made. 
Agnes  Groves  used  an  old  trunk  for  the  outer  box,  and 
painted  it,  as  it  looked  rather  shabby.     The  space  be- 


Courtesy  of  Winthrop  Normal  and  Industrial 
CoUege,  Rockhill,  S.C. 

Fig.   III. — A  fireless  cooker  made  at  home. 


254 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


in 


tween  the  trunk  and  the  inner  box  was  filled  with  paper, 
pressed  in  firmly.  She  pleased  her  mother  by  having 
a  stew  for  dinner  one  day.  First  she  browned  the  meat 
and  vegetables  in  a  frying  pan  on  the  kerosene  stove, 
put  them  in  a  hot  earthenware  jar  with  the  season- 
ings, covered  them  with  boiling  hot  water,  covered  the 
jar  closely,  set  it  in  the  cooker  on  a  brick  heated  on 
the  other  burner  of  the  oil  stove,  and  closed  the  cooker. 
This  was  done  by  half  past  seven,  and  at  twelve  o'clock 
the  stew  was  ready. 

There  was  room  for  another  kettle  in  the  cooker,  and 
that   Agnes   put    peas  shelled    the  evening  before. 

Agnes  also  tried  cook- 
^  .  .        .^^    cereal    overnight, 

but  she  was  careful  to 
let  the  cereal  boil  on 
the  oil  stove  long 
enough  to  thicken  be- 
fore it  went  into  the 
cooker,  and  then  the 
kettle  of  cereal  was 
placed  in  a  larger  kettle 
of  hot  water,  like  a 
double  boiler.  She 
thought  the  cereal  was 
better  when  the  hot  brick  was  used. 

Agnes  and  Marjorie  used  to  compare  the  "  fireless  " 
and  the  Atkinson  cooker,  and  they  decided  that  the 
Atkinson  can  do  more  kinds  of  work  than  the  fireless. 


Courtesy  of  the  Caloric  Co. 
Fig.   112.  — One  fireless  cooker  on  the  market, 


THE   HOME   DINNER  255 

although  the  Atkinson  uses  more  fuel.  The  Atkinson 
cooker  is  sometimes  called  the  Aladdin  oven.  Can 
you  tell  why  ^  Did  you  ever  hear  of  Aladdin  and  his 
wonderful  lamp  .? 

Steam  cookers.  Barbara  Oakes  reported  at  school 
that  her  mother  has  no  patience  with  either  of  those 
contrivances,  but  that  she  likes  a  steam  cooker  in  hot 
weather,  and  can  get  a  whole  dinner  over  one  burner 
of  the  kerosene  stove.  On  page  98  is  a  picture  (Fig. 
48)  of  a  steam  cooker  like  Mrs.  Oakes'. 

Some  people  like  one  kind  of  machine  and  some 
another ;  but  we  may  all  help  ourselves  greatly  if  we 
try  some  experiments,  and  do  not  expect  too  much 
from  any  one  contrivance. 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Can  you  explain  why  the  fireless  cooker  will  not  "brown" 
food  ?     Can  you  ever  "brown"  anything  in  water  ? 

2.  Why  does  a  hole  in  the  Atkinson  cooker  at  the  top  help  the 
browning  process  ? 

3.  Make  a  sketch  showing  a  cross  section  of  the  cooker  made 
at  the  Pleasant  Valley  School. 

4.  Make  a  list  of  nonconducting  materials;  of  good  conduc- 
tors. 

5.  Which  is  a  better  conductor  of  heat,  air  or  water  ? 

6.  Will  a  kettle  of  hot  food  cool  faster  in  the  air  or  in  running 
cold  water  ?     Why  ? 

7.  Bake  one  potato,  and  boil  another  of  the  same  size.  Which 
cooks  faster  ?     Why  ? 

8.  How  much  oil  does  your  illuminating  lamp  ht)ld  ?  How 
long  will  it  burn  ?  Find  the  cost  of  kerosene,  and  then  you  can  tell 
how  much  it  costs  to  run  the  Atkinson  cooker  per  hour. 


256  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

9.    How  much  does  it  cost  per  hour  to  run  a  blue-flame  oil 
stove  ? 

10.  Can  you  find  out  how  much  it  costs  per  hour  for  coal  or 
wood  ? 

Lesson  27 
the  care  of  food 

How  shall  we  care  for  food  after  dinner  ? 

This  is  a  question  after'  every  meal ;  but  there  is 
usually  more  food  to  put  away  after  dinner,  and  more 
careful  planning  is  needed  then. 

When  Mollie  and  Marjorie  cooked  the  dinner  we 
studied  in  Lesson  22,  they  began  to  plan  for  the  care 
of  food  afterward,  at  the  very  beginning  of  operations,  by 
seeing  that  there  were  no  flies  to  light  on  any  food  placed 
on  the  kitchen  table.  The  home-making  class  had 
discussed  the  care  of  food  in  the  home,  and  Mollie  and 
Marjorie  found  that  they  could  apply  it  all  to  this  par- 
ticular dinner. 

How  shall  we  take  care  of  our  food  .?  Here  is  a  simple 
rule.  Keep  food  clean;  keep  food  cool;  keep  food  dry; 
keep  out  insects,  mice,  and  rats. 

How  shall  we  keep  food  clean .?  Let  us  begin  with 
ourselves,  the  cooks.  Mollie  and  Marjorie  were  pleas- 
ant to  look  at ;  they  were  so  shining  with  cleanliness 
themselves.  Marjorie  had  washed  her  hair  the  day 
before  when  she  came  from  school ;  but  before  beginning 
work  she  brushed  it  tightly  back,  braided  it,  and  tied/ 
a  clean  ribbon  around  her  front  hair  to  keep  back  stray 


5fHE  HOME   DINNER 


257 


locks.  Both  of  the  girls,  of  course,  had  clean  faces,  their 
dresses  and  aprons  were  spotless,  and  each  clean  apron 
had  a  pocket  in  it,  with  a  clean 
handkerchief  in  the  pocket.  They 
scrubbed  their  hands,  used  tooth- 
picks for  their  fingernails,  and  pinned 
on  fresh  hand  towels  at  one  side  of 
the  apron.  Mollie  said  when  she 
washed  her  hands  before  she  sat 
down  at  the  dinner  table  that  she 
believed  it  was  the  twelfth  time  at 
least.  A  safe  rule  is  this :  when- 
ever you  are  to  touch  food  with  the 
fingers,  wash  them.  It  is  not  con- 
sidered good  manners  when  in  com- 
pany to  touch  one's  hair  or  face, 
and  one  should  never  handle  food  af- 
ter touching  one's  person  in  any  way. 

Of  course,  Mrs.  Allen's  kitchen  and  pantry  were 
spotlessly  clean  after  the  breakfast ;  so  there  was  no 
cleaning  to  do  after  the  last  fly  had  been  banished. 

Just  as  this  had  been  accomplished,  Frank  Allen 
came  in  with  the  sweet  corn  and  potatoes,  and  in  came 
a  fly,  too  !  So  Frank  killed  the  fly  on  the  kitchen  table, 
and  then  washed  off  the  table  at  his  sister's  request. 
There  was  a  pan  in  the  sink  to  hold  clean  soapsuds  for 
washing  off  whatever  needed  the  washing. 

A  place  for  washing  hands  and  face.  Just  outside 
the  Aliens'  kitchen  is  an  entry  where  washing  of  hands 


Courtesy  of  Mrs.  Hetty  S.  Browne. 

Fig.  113. — Neatly  dressed 
for  cooking. 


258  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

and  face,  and  brushing  hair  can  be  done,  because  it  is 
not  a  cleanly  habit  to  do  this  in  the  kitchen.  Before 
the  Aliens  had  running  water,  there  was  a  stand  in  this 
entry,  with  a  basin  for  the  hands  and  face,  and  a  pump 
outside  ;  but,  when  the  water  was  put  in,  a  basin  with 
running  water  was  placed  in  this  entry,  too.  There  is 
a  looking-glass,  and  in  a  basket  hanging  on  the  wall 
below  are  some  small  towels  made  of  the  toweling  used 
for  roller  towels,  as  Mrs.  Allen  does  not  believe  in  having 
different  people  use  one  towel.  Each  towel  is  large 
enough  for  wiping  face  and  hands,  and  is  used  only  once 
and  thrown  into  another  basket.  Mrs.  Allen  has  a 
washing  machine,  and  puts  these  towels  through  a 
wringer  to  smooth  them,  and  does  not  iron  them. 
Muddy  shoes  must  be  wiped  off  outside,  or,  when  they 
are  very  dirty,  they  are  changed  for  comfortable  dry 
shoes  that  hang  in  a  shoe  bag  on  the  wall  of  the  entry, 
and  the  muddy  rubbers  and  boots  are  left  in  the  shed. 
The  boys  thought  this  very  fussy  at  first ;  but  boys  do 
not  really  dislike  being  clean,  when  it  is  not  too  much 
trouble,  and  besides  they  found  the  dry  shoes  very  com- 
fortable. To  keep  all  dirt  out  of  the  kitchen  is  one 
way  to  keep  food  clean. 

Washing  off  food.  Even  when  we  gather  our  own 
fruit  and  vegetables  with  clean  hands,  there  needs  to 
be  a  careful  washing  in  clean  water  to  free  the  food  from 
grit  and  small  insects.  A  small  quantity  of  salt  or  vine- 
gar in  the  water  helps  to  remove  any  tiny  insect. 

When  Marjorie  began  to  prepare  the  piece  of  meat 


THE  HOME  DINNER 


259 


rSLT-^L 


for  the  pot  roast,  she  held  it  under  the  faucet  and  thor- 
oughly washed  off  the  surface  of  the  meat.  If  there 
had  not  been  running  water,  she  would  have  washed  it 
off  in  a  pan  of  water,  with  a  little  salt  added.  Mollie 
remarked  that  the  butcher  was  very  particular  himself 
about  the  meat,  but  Marjorie  said  that  one  could  not 
be  overclean  with  meat. 

Keeping  food  cool.  When  the  table  was  cleared  after 
dinner,  the  most  important  point  was  putting  away  the 
foods  that  would  most 
easily  spoil,  —  the  meat, 
the  butter,  the  milk.  The 
meat  had  been  hot  when 
it  was  put  on  the  table, 
and  it  was  still  warm. 
Mrs.  Allen  did  not  put  it 
into  the  ice  box  warm, 
but,  as  there  were  no  flies 
in  the  kitchen,  she  stood 
the  meat  in  the  breeze 
by  the  window  to  cool  it 
off.  If  there  had  been 
no  breeze,  she  would  have 
returned  the  meat  to  the 
pot  and  set  the  pot  in  a 
pan  of  water. 

Ice  for  keeping  food. 
Ice  is  one  of  the  great  comforts  in  summer,  and  is  a 
safeguard  of  our  health.      Remember  in  the  lesson  on 


BV//X^=sJ<J;^.^,..g5s;^vt^<t^^-^=^^^^ 


Courtesy  of  New  York  State  College  of 
Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 

Fig.  114.  —  Mrs.  Groves  has  an  inexpensive 
home-made  ice  box. 


26o 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


preserving  fruit  that  we  learned  how  the  bacteria  that 
spoil  our  food  do  not  flourish  in  the  fold.     More  and 

more  are  farmers 
planning  to  cut  ice 
and  store  it.  Mr. 
Groves  of  Pleasant 
Valley  dammed  up 
a  brook,  making  a 
small  pond,  cleaned 
out  the  vegetable 
matter,  and  found 
that  he  could  take 
enough  clean  ice 
from  the  pond  to 
last  all  summer. 
Mr.  Groves  fenced  in 
his  ice  pond  to  keep 
out  the  farm  animals, 
and  he  put  in  the 
dam  at  a  spot  in  the 
brook  above  the  place 

Courtesy  of  Grand  Rapids  Refrigerator  Co.    v\/|-i  p  rp     f  h  P     COWS     3  n  H 
Fig.  115. — Mrs.  Allen's  refrigerator  is  built  with   1  -t        A    '    Ir 

double  walls  made  of  nonconducting  materials.      ^OrSCS     gO     tO     armK. 

He  made  a  double 
wall  and  roof  to  one  small  building  on  the  place,  and 
packed  the  ice  down  in  sawdust.  Sometimes  two  or 
three  landowners  can  combine  in  ice  cutting.  One  man 
in  Pleasant  Valley  adds  to  his  income  by  selling  ice  to 
his  neighbors. 


THE   HOME   DINNER 


261 


The  farmers  who  sell  milk,  cream,  and  butter  find 
that  the  better  condition  of  their  products  makes  it 
pay  to  have  ice. 

A  well-built  refrigerator.  Mrs.  Allen  was  very  happy 
with  her  new  refrigerator,  and  told  MoUie  that  the 
difference  between  a  summer  with  ice  and  without  ice, 
was  astounding.  The  picture  (Fig.  115)  shows  Mrs. 
Allen's  refrigerator,  which  stands  in  the  coolest  part  of 
the  pantry.     It  is  important  to  have  air  circulating  in 


United  States  Department  of  Commerce,  Circular  of  the  Bureau  of  Standards,  No.  56. 
Fig.  ii6.  —  Diagram  showing  the  circulation  in  two  used  types  of  refrigerator. 

the  refrigerator.^  The  drawings  (Fig.  ii6)  show  the 
movement  of  the  air  in  two  refrigerators  and  the  cool- 
est place  in  each. 


262  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Mrs.  Allen's  refrigerator  is  built  with  double  walls 
made  of  nonconducting  materials,  and  has  ten  layers 
of  such  in  the  walls,  one  of  them  a  closed-in  air  space. 
The  closets  for  the  food  are  enamel  lined.  This  is 
nonabsorptive,  and  may  be  kept  perfectly  clean.  A 
large  refrigerator  is  more  economical  of  ice  than  a  small 
one,  and  in  the  end  more  than  balances  the  few  dollars 
extra  that  must  be  paid  for  the  larger  size.  Select  the 
coolest  spot  that  you  have  for  the  refrigerator. 

Care  of  a  refrigerator.  Always  wash  off  the  block 
of  ice  before  putting  it  into  the  ice  chamber.  Wash 
out  the  ice  chamber  once  a  week,  and  pour  a  solu- 
tion of  washing  soda  down  the  waste  pipe.  The  food 
chambers  should  be  washed  out  once  a  week  and  dried, 
and  no  spilled  food  allowed  to  remain  a  moment.  Do 
not  leave  the  doors  open.  Have  a  strong  ice  pick  for 
breaking  ice. 

And  when  we  cannot  have  ice  ^  Perhaps  there  is  a 
well.  Then  you  can  hang  very  clean  pails  or  glass 
fruit  jars  in  the  well  that  will  hold  some  food  at  least. 
This  is  a  simple  old-fashioned  way ;  but  be  sure  that 
the  ropes  are  strong,  and  the  pails  tightly  closed.  It 
is  always  a  sad  event  when  milk  spills  into  the  waten 

If  the  water  comes  from  a  spring  in  pipes,  you  have 
an  overflow  that  can  be  used  for  cooling  food. 

What  shall  we  say  about  a  cool  cellar  for  food  ?  For 
the  sake  of  the  family  the  cellar  should  be  dry,  well 
aired,  and  not  cold  and  damp.  Even  a  dry,  cemented 
cellar  is  cooler  than  the  ground  floor  of  the  house  ;   but 


THE  HOME  DINNER 


263 


it  is  not  cold  in  the  way  that  the  old-time  farmhouse 
cellar  used  to  be.  When  the  Stark  family  made  their 
old  cellar  into  a  dry  new  cellar,  they  felt  that  they  could 
not  plan  for  an  ice  house  that  year.  They  dug  a  place 
below  the  level  of  the  cellar  and  cemented  it ;  they  cut 
a  trapdoor  in  the  kitchen  floor  and  made  a  set  of  shelves 
to  run  up  and  down  on  pulleys  from  the  kitchen  into  the 
small  subcellar.  This  may  seem  more  trouble  than  it 
is  worth,  but  Mrs.  Stark  and  Mollie  did  not  think  so. 

A  box  fastened  outside  the  window  by  strong  iron 
brackets  gives  a  handy  place  for  cooling  food,  and  for 
keeping  some 
foods  that 
do  not  spoil 
quickly.  It  is 
easily  made 
from  a  water- 
tight wooden 
box,  painted 
outside  and  in, 
with  the  open- 
ing toward  the 
window,  having 
a  curtain  of 
table  oilcloth. 
A  piece  of 
wire  netting  set  in  the  bottom  of  the  box  lets  in  the  air. 

Remember,  too,  that    evaporation    cools.     In    tropic 
countries  water  is  cooled  in  porous  earthen  jars  which 


Courtesy  of  New  York  Slate  College  of  Agrictdture  at  Cornell  University. 

Fig.  117.  — These  shelves  inside  a  window  give  a  place  for 
cooling  food.     Netting  must  be  used  to  keep  out  flies. 


264  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

hang  in  the  veranda.  When  all  other  means  are  miss- 
ing, put  the  food  to  be  cooled  in  a  jar,  wrap  a  clean  cloth 
around  and  over  the  jar,  put  one  end  of  the  cloth  in  a 
basin  of  water,  and  stand  all  in  a  window. 

Keeping  food  dry.  This  means  having  dry  walls 
and  floors.  Have  jars  and  boxes  for  keeping  your  ma- 
terials, label  them,  and  place  them  in  neat  rows.  Even 
when  food  of  certain  kinds  should  be  kept  moist  for  a 
time,  they  still  should  stand  in  a  dry  place.  For  ex- 
ample, we  may  wish  to  keep  bread  moist  by  wrapping 
it  in  paper,  but  we  must  keep  the  bread  box  dry  and 
clean. 

Mice  and  insects.  It  must,  indeed,  be  a  well-built 
house  that  has  no  visitors  of  this  kind.  Watch  for 
cracks  and  holes  ;  and,  if  you  find  them,  use  metal  over 
them.  Try  traps  for  mice  and  rats,  and  buy  poison 
recommended  by  the  druggist ;  only  be  careful,  then, 
of  other  animals. 

The  Woman's  Club  of  Pleasant  Valley  offered  a  prize 
for  something  that  would  actually  keep  off  ants,  and  as 
yet  no  one  has  taken  the  prize.  Look  for  ant  hills  out- 
side and  pour  in  kerosene.  In  the  Starks'  old  home 
there  were  tiny  red  ants  that  had  their  home  in  some 
timber  that  could  not  be  reached.  The  only  trap  for 
them  was  a  saucer  of  fat  in  the  pantry,  in  which  they 
collected  by  thousands.  Borax  and  other  powders  are 
recommended,  but  Mollie  Stark  remarked  that  the 
Stark  ants  seemed  to  be  especially  fond  of  borax.  In  one 
old  house  they  could  do  nothing  better  than  to  put  each 


THE  HOME  DINNER 


265 


of  the  four  legs  of  a  table  in  a  pan  of  water,  and  stand  the 
food  on  the  table. 

Cleaning  off  the  table.  Mollie  and  Marjorie  put  the 
scraps  of  food  from  the  plates  into  the  clean-food  scrap 
pail  to  be  taken  out  to  the  chickens.  The  pieces  of 
bread  from  the  bread  plate  were  returned  to  the  bread 


Courtesy  of  the  New  York  Agrictdtural  College  at  Cornell  University. 
Fig.  118.  — A  broad  piazza  for  rest  after  work. 

box  to  be  used  for  toast,  and  the  butter  was  put  in  a  small 
bowl  to  be  used  for  cooking.  The  left-over  mashed 
potato  was  kept  for  potato  cakes ;  and  the  meat  and 
dessert  were  finally  set  away  in  the  refrigerator.  The 
sweet  corn  was  all  eaten,  but  the  cobs  were  given  to 
the  chickens  to  enjoy.  Later  they  were  to  be  collected 
and  burned. 

You  know  that  the  food  remnants,  when  the  farm 


266  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

animals  have  had  their  turn,  will  serve  as  fertilizer  for 
plant  life.  After  the  bones  have  been  picked,  keep  them 
together  in  a  barrel,  and  finally  bury  or  burn  them. 
Have  a  compost  heap  properly  covered  where  the  un- 
eaten fragments  will  decompose  and  make  fertilizer,  or 
bury  them  at  once  if  preferred. 

When  the  two  girls  had  finished  all  the  work,  and  went 
to  the  broad  piazza  for  rest,  Marjorie  said,  **  Isn't  this 
fine  training  for  a  girl!  Better  than  mathematics." 
And  Mollie  added,  ''  Do  you  know,  there's  a  kind  of 
mathematics  in  it  all,  I  do  believe."  Then  Grandmother 
remarked,  "  Any  reason  why  you  shouldn't  have  the 
book  kind  and  this  kind,  too  ?  " 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Why  is  it  so  important  to  take  pains  in  caring  for  food  after 
every  meal  ? 

2.  How  do  you  dispose  of  food  waste  at  home  ? 

3.  What  do  you  do  with  tin  cans  when  you  use  canned  food  ? 

4.  Explain  why  food  must  be  kept  cool  and  dry. 

5.  How  does  a  refrigerator  keep  food  cool  ? 

6.  Can  you  explain  what  Mollie  meant  when  she  said  there  was 
a  kind  of  mathematics  in  getting  a  dinner .? 

REVIEW 

1.  Give  a  simple  rule  for  making  a  dinner  menu. 

2.  Plan  the  work  in  preparing  a  dinner  for  next  Saturday. 

3.  Do  you  think  we  need  meat  as  a  food  ? 

4.  Is  there  anything  to  be  careful  about  in  buying  meat  ? 

5.  Give  two  experiments  that  show  the  effect  of  different 
methods  of  cooking  upon  meat. 


THE  HOME  DINNER  267 

6.  When  meat  is  tough,  can  you  improve  it  by  cooking  ? 

7.  Give  directions  for  cooking  tender  meat. 

8.  You  have  a  five-pound  roast.     Tell  exactly  how  to  prepare 
It. 

9.  You  are  planning  to  have  steak  for  dinner.     How  will  you 
cook  it  ? 

10.  In  the  country  where  one  raises  beef  or  pork,  a  large 
quantity  may  be  killed  at  one  time.  How  may  this  meat  be 
preserved  ? 

1 1 .  Tell  how  to  cook  corned  beef. 

12.  Do  you  know  what  foodstuflFs  vegetables  give  us  ? 

13.  What  does  cooking  do  for  vegetables  ? 

14.  Tell  in  what  way  and  how  long  to  cook  all  the  common  vege- 
tables. 

15.  Tell  how  to  make  two  milk  desserts  and  two  fruit  desserts. 

16.  Have  you  ever  run  a  fireless  cooker?  Can  you  describe 
such  a  cooker  ? 

17.  Think  of  what  you  can  do  to  be  sure  the  food  in  your  home 
is  clean. 

18.  What  conveniences  will  you  have  for  keeping  food  clean  ? 

19.  What  are  some  of  the  important  things  about  using  ice  f 
About  the  care  of  the  refrigerator  ? 

20.  What  are  the  points  of  a  good  cellar  ? 

21.  What  can  we  cook  on  Saturday  to  save  work  on  Sunday  ? 


CHAPTER   VI 


OTHER   FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD 


Lesson  28 


A    STUDY    OF    lOO-CALORIE    PORTIONS 

How  may  we  know  just  how  much  food  to  give  to  the  family 
every  day,  and  how  can  we  measure  it  ? 

One  rainy  Saturday  when  Marjorie  Allen  was  look- 
ing over  her  notebook  of  lessons  on  foods,  sanitation, 
and  cookery,  and  putting  together  in  one  place  every- 
thing that  she  had  studied  and  learned  about  meals 
from  her  teacher  and  from  her  mother,  she  found  that 
there  were  facts  enough  to  fill  several  pages. 

If  you  yourself  will  review  the  lessons  in  the  five  chap- 
ters of  this  book  and  recall  the  talks  at  school  with 
your  teacher,  you  will  find  that  you  have  learned  quite 
a  little  about  the  three  meals  a  day  and  your  own  school 
luncheon. 

268 


OTHER  FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD      269 

When  Marjorie  had  finished  this  task,  however,  she 
sat  quietly  a  few  minutes,  looking  rather  puzzled  ;  and 
then  she  asked  the  question  at  the  beginning  of  this 
lesson. 

Mrs.  Allen  replied  that  she  herself  had  learned  by  ex- 
perience, and  that  in  a  large  family  the  left-overs  can 
always  be  used  in  some  good  way.  But  Marjorie  had 
in  mind  something  more  exact  than  this,  as  a  result  of 
the  talks  at  school  about  food  for  body  building  and 
energy ;  and  she  already  had  grasped  the  idea  that  dif- 
ferent people  require  not  only  different  kinds  of  food, 
but  different  quantities. 

"  It  seems  to  me,"  said  Marjorie,  "  that  there  must 
be  some  way  to  measure  just  the  amount  for  Grand- 
mother, for  you  and  Father,  and  for  all  of  us  children." 

"  Why  don't  you  ask  Miss  James  ?  "  said  her  mother. 

"  I  am  so  glad  you  wanted  to  ask  that  question," 
remarked  Miss  James,  when  Marjorie  brought  this 
thought  to  the  class. 

How  is  temperature  measured  by  a  thermometer  ? 
"  How  would  you  explain  the  use  of  the  thermometer 
to  some  one  who  did  not  understand  ?  "  was  Miss 
James'  first  question. 

We  learned  long  ago  that  the  amount  of  heat  in  things 
around  us  changes  from  time  to  time,  sometimes  very 
quickly.  Take  water,  for  instance :  how  rapidly  it 
heats  and  begins  to  boil  over  a  good  fire,  and  how  soon 
it  freezes  when  the  weather  is  cold.  The  words  in 
common  use  for  the  different  degrees  of  heat  are  cold. 


^^o  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

cool,  hot,  warm,  tepid,  lukewarm,  and  so  on.  These 
words  are  not  exact,  however ;  and  people  found  it  nec- 
essary to  measure  heat  in  some  definite  way.  Mercury 
and  alcohol  are  substances  that  change  very  rapidly 
with  only  a  slight  increase  or  decrease  in  temperature. 
They  change  in  bulk  and  expand  or  shrink.  Look  at  a 
thermometer,  and  see  that  the  mercury  is  inclosed  in  a 
bulb  and  a  tube,  fastened  upon  a  scale.  Who  made 
the  scale  t  Several  people,  and  so  we  have  thermome- 
ters (heat  measures)  of  more  than  one  kind.  The 
Centigrade  is  the  best  because  it  is  the  simplest. 
The  freezing  point  of  water  is  called  zero ;  and  the 
boiling  point  of  water,  loo;  and  there  are  one  hundred 
steps  (Centigrade)  between,  which  we  call  degrees. 
Scientists  prefer  to  use  Centigrade.  We  should  become 
familiar  with  the  Centigrade  thermometer  in  daily  life. 
In  America,  however,  we  are  slow  to  change  in  matters 
of  measure  and  weight.  The  French,  who  planned  the 
decimal  system  of  weights  and  measures,  and  who  use 
them  in  buying  and  selling,  are  much  more  sensible 
than  we.  In  America  and  England,  the  Fahrenheit 
is  used.  This  scale  was  made  and  used  by  Gabriel 
Daniel  Fahrenheit.  The  freezing  point  is  at  32°  above 
the  zero  of  this  scale,  and  the  boiling  point  at  212° 
above  ;  and  there  are  180  degrees  (Fahrenheit)  between. 
So  you  see,  one  degree  Fahrenheit  is  equal  to  f  degrees 
Centigrade. 

Here  is  the  picture  (Fig.  119)  of  a  thermometer  with 
both  Fahrenheit  and  Centigrade  scales.     You  should 


OTHER   FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD 


271 


learn  to  use  the  latter  just  as  soon  as  possible.  Do  you 
not  consider  decimals  easier  and  more  convenient  than 
common  fractions  ? 

The  degree  on  the  scale  of  a  thermometer  is  one 
kind  of  heat  measure.  We  have  another  measure 
for  the  needs  of  our  bodies  and  the  energy  contained 
in  our  foods ;   for  we   calculate  the   amount  of  food 


]50 


100 


50 


0 


!«-_  Melting  point  of  common  solder 
350 


300 


250 


\t.  212Boiling  point  of  water  at  normal  pressure 
200 


150 


Pasteurizing  milk 


3^  Normal   temperature  of  human  body  (98.5) 

_  Rooms  where  occupants  are  not  exercising 

50 

32  Freezing  point  of  -water 

10 
0 
-10 
20 
35  Freezing  point  of  mercury 


Fig.  119.  —  Two  common  temperature  scales,  viz.  Fahrenheit  and  Centigrade. 
On  the  Centigrade  scale  the  freezing  point  and  normal  boiling  point  of  water 
are,  respectively,  0°  and  100°;  on  the  Fahrenheit  scale  these  points  are  32** 
and  212°;  thus  1°  Centigrade  is  equal  to  1.8°  Fahrenheit. 


272 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


we  need  by  the  amount  of  energy  it  will  furnish  the 
body. 

What  is  a  calorimeter  r     Scientists  have  learned  to 
measure  heat  given  off  by  shutting  up  some  person,  or 


Courtesy  of  Professor  Graham  Lusk. 

Fig.   120,  —  Respiration  calorimeter,  open.     From  the  "  Journal  of 
Biological  Chemistry." 


lower  animal,  in  a  machine  where  he  has  air  and  is 
quite  comfortable  for  a  time.  Here  is  a  picture  (Fig. 
120)  of  one  machine  called  a  calorimeter  (heat  measure) 
for  a  small  animal.  You  can  see  how  elaborate  and 
delicate  a  machine  it  is,  and  it  does  exactly  record  the 


OTHER   FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD  273 

heat  coming  from  the  body  of  the  animal  shut  into  this 
cage.  When  you  are  in  high  school  or  college,  you  can 
understand  the  workings  of  the  calorimeter.  But  we 
will  now  accept  the  fact  that  the  scientist  can  measure 
in  a  calorimeter  the  energy  of  our  bodies  and  the  amount 
of  energy  given  off  a  day. 

Then,  too,  the  scientist  finds  the  energy  in  the 
food,  by  burning  It  in  another  kind  of  machine  which 
also  measures  the  amount  of  heat  in  some  one  kind 
of  food.  This  has  been  done  with  all  the  common 
materials. 

What  is  a  calorie  ?  The  scientist  can  now  say  of  a 
given  person  that  he  needs  so  much  energy  daily,  and 
that  a  certain  amount  of  a  certain  food  will  give  so  much 
energy.  But  what  words  can  he  use  to  tell  you  and  me  ? 
The  degree  Centigrade  will  not  measure  this.  So  the 
scientist  says,  "  I  must  have  a  heat  unit,  something  like 
the  degree  of  a  thermometer  scale,  or  the  inch  on  a  yard- 
stick. I  will  take  for  my  heat  unit  the  amount  of  heat 
required  to  make  one  pound  of  water  warmer  by  four 
degrees  Fahrenheit ;  that  is,  the  amount  that  will  raise 
its  temperature  four  degrees,  or  a  gram  of  water  one 
degree  Centigrade.  This  unit  I  will  call  a  calorie  from 
the  Latin  word  for  heat,  *  calor."* 

Miss  Travers  explained  the  calorie  quite  simply  one 
day  at  the  Mothers'  Club  ;  but  one  of  the  mothers  said 
that  her  husband  and  sons  were  six  feet  tall,  weighed 
about  one  hundred  eighty  pounds  each,  and  were  all 
satisfied  with  the  good  square  meals  she  gave  them, 


274 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


and  that  she  shouldn't  bother  with  this  kind  of  thing. 
Mrs.  Allen  said  very  quietly  that  her  husband  found  it 

convenient  to  study  calories 

in  feeding  his  pigs,  and  that 

she  herself  thought  it  might 

be  well  to  try  this  method 

with  her  family  !     So  Mrs. 

Allen    and     Marjorie    had 

many     pleasant      evenings 

studying  this  way  of  plan- 
ning meals. 

Of  course,  no  busy  mother 

will  stop  to  calculate  calories 

for  every  meal  every  day, 

but  a  little  study  will  check 

up  her  daily  practice.     Mrs. 

Allen    had     been     worried 

about  her  second  little  girl, 

who  was  under  weight,  and 

growing    thinner.      She 

studied  the  question  of  loo- 
calorie  portions  and  found  that  the  child  was  short  some 
four  hundred  calories.  Alice  seemed  not  to  be  able  to 
eat  much  more  in  bulk  at  one  meal,  but  Mrs.  Allen  per- 
suaded her  to  take  more  butter  and  cream,  and  also 
two  or  three  eggs  daily  for  their  body-building  quality. 
Alice  had  not  enough  building  material  or  energy  in 
her  food  before  this  to  keep  up  the  growth  in  height, 
and  also  in  weight.     On  the  other  hand,  Mr.  Allen  had 


Drawn  by  Miss 
Florence  Hutu. 

Fig.    121.  —  Im- 
proper weight. 


Drawn  by  Miss 
Florence  Hunt. 

Fig.     122.  — 
Proper  weight. 


OTHER  FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD 


275 


been  troubled  at  the  in- 
crease in  his  weight,  which 
seemed  to  be  in  the  form 
of  unnecessary  fat,  in  spite 
of  his  exercise.  So  Mrs. 
Allen  planned  for  him 
food  that  contained  a 
lower  number  of  calories 
but  still  had  bulk  enough 
to  satisfy  his  appetite. 

What  did  Miss  Travers 
mean  by  a  loo-calorie 
portion  .?  The  amount  of 
food  that  would  give  one 
calorie  is  so  small  that  it  is 
more  practical  to  measure 
portions  giving  one  hun- 
dred calories. 

Study  this  picture  first, 
for  here  are  several  of  our 
common  foods  in  amounts 
yielding  energy  equal  to 
100  calories.  The  tgg  is 
the  exception,  the  energy 
being  only  75  calories. 
Notice  (Fig.  123)  first  that 
there  is  a  great  difference 
in  the  bulk  of  the  differ- 
ent foods.     Look  at  the 


276 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


lettuce,  and  at  the  half  tablespoonful  of  butter  and 
lumps  of  sugar.  We  could  not  live  on  a  bulky  food 
like  the  lettuce,  or  a  condensed  food  like  the  butter ; 
but  we  must  have  a  mixed  diet  to  furnish  all  the 
energy  we  need. 

Here  is  a  table  that  states  what  some  people  should 
have.  Remember  that  this  is  an  average.  Have  you 
studied  averages  in  arithmetic  ^ 


FOOD    REQUIREMENTS    FOR   A    DAY 


Members  of  Family 


Man 

Woman 

Girl 

Boy 

Boy 

Total  requirements 


Age 


40 
38 
16 
12 
6 


Weight,  Pounds 


120 
IIO 

75 
40 


Total  Calories 


2,680 
2,160 
2,200 
2,250 
1,600 


10,890 


Using  cream  and  butter.  Mrs.  Allen  gives  an  extra 
amount  of  cream  and  butter  to  the  little  girl  who  is 
under  weight.  She  makes  the  cream  so  appetizing  by 
whipping  it  and  sweetening  it  with  a  little  honey  that 
Alice  eats  a  few  spoonfuls  gladly  with  a  piece  of  bread 
for  her  dessert.  Do  you  think  that  it  is  extravagant  to 
use  these  materials  ^  On  the  farm,  if  you  sell  dairy 
products,  you  have  a  way  of  disposing  of  both  the 
cream  and  butter  at  a  good  price.  If,  however,  the 
milk  of  one  cow  is  kept  for  home  use,  part  of  the  milk 


OTHER   FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD 


277 


can  be  set  for  cream  to  be  used  on  the  morning  cereal 
or  with  some  dessert.  The  skimmed  milk  can  be  used 
for  cooking,  and,  if  need  be,  beef  fat  or  even  chicken  fat 
added,  when  these  have  been  nicely  tried  out.  Cream 
is  a  digestible  form  of  fat  for  children  and  for  older  peo- 
ple who  cannot  eat  fat  pork.     You  can  see  that  cream 


A.  Fowler,  Photographer. 
Fig.   124.  —  J cx>calorie  portions  of  milk  and  cream. 

No.       Kind  Weight  of  Portion,  Ounces 

1.  Cream  (18.5%) 1.8 

2.  Whole  milk, 5.1 

3.  Skim  milk 9.6 

4.  Buttermilk       .        .        .        .  , 9.9 

is  cheaper  than  butter,  because  the  butter  requires 
labor  ;  and  you  must  never  make  the  mistake  of  think- 
ing that  a  woman's  time  does  not  count.  It  is  some- 
times a  high  price  to  pay. 

More  about  the  cost  of  food.  It  is  very  difficult  when 
we  use  food  raised  on  our  own  place  to  calculate  how 
much    it    costs.     There    are    some    facts    about    food 


278 


FOOD  AND   HEALTH 


economy  that  we  all  ought  to  learn,  because  it  is  true 
that  some  kinds  of  food  are  always  cheaper  than  others. 
Bread  and  cereals  give  us  more  nutriment  for  the  money 
than  meat,  because  the  supply  is  larger  and  less  labor 
is  used  in  producing  them.  Here  is  a  table  that  shows 
you  the  relation  of  money  and  food  value  received  in 
a  few  common  foods  : 


AMOUNTS  OF  PROTEIN  AND  ENERGY  OBTAINED  FOR  lO  CENTS  EX- 
PENDED FOR  BREAD  AND  OTHER  FOODS  AT  CERTAIN  ASSUMED 
PRICES  PER  POUND  ^ 


Food  Materials 


Wheat  bread 
Cheese .... 
Beef,  average 
Porterhouse  steak 
Dried  beef     .     . 
Eggs     .... 
Milk     .... 
Potatoes   .     .     . 
Apples  .... 


Price 


5  cents 
22  cents 
20  cents 
25  cents 
25  cents 
24  cents 

9  cents 
60  cents 
i^  cents 


per  lb. 
per  lb. 
per  lb. 
per  lb. 
per  lb. 
per  lb. 
per  qt. 
per  bu. 
per  lb. 


lo  Cents 
WILL  Buy 


Ounces 
32.0 

7-3 
8.0 

6.4 
6.4 

lO.O 

38.3 
160.0 
106.7 


10  Cents'  Worth 
WILL  Contain 


Protein 


Ounces 
2.9 
1.9 
1.2 

1-3 
.1 

1-3 
1.2 


A  Fuel 
Value  op 


Calories 
2400 

886 
467 
444 

315 
198 

736 
2950 
1270 


In  a  general  way  we  can  say  that  the  more  labor  needed, 
the  more  the  food  costs.  If  there  is  a  small  supply 
of  some  food  material  and  many  people  want  it,  then  the 
price  is  high ;    and  when  the  season  is  bad  or  some  dis- 


1  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Farmers'  Bulletin  487. 


OTHER  FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD      279 

ease  attacks  the  food,  the  supply  becomes  short  and  the 
price  goes  up. 

Here  is  another  table  that  shows  how  the  calories 
may  be  divided  among  the  foods  served  at  the  three 
meals : 

Food  i go-Calorie  Portions 

Milk  20  (6  for  each  child,  the  rest  for  the 

adults) 
Cereal  5 

Eggs  (for  children)  2  (counting  f  portion  per  egg) 

Fruit  5 

Green  vegetables  2 

Meat  or  meat  substitute  5 

Bread  15 

Butter  15 

Suppose  now  that  each  one  of  you  study  her  own 
family.  Take  the  three  meals  a  day  that  you  are  likely 
to  have,  using  very  simple  dishes.  From  the  tables 
given,  see  if  you  can  decide  if  your  family  is  having  about 
the  right  amount. 

This  is  a  hard  problem  indeed,  but  your  teacher  may 
use  it  for  an  arithmetic  lesson  just  as  Miss  James  did.^ 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Explain  the  meaning  of  the  word  "calorie**  to  some  one 
who  has  never  heard  the  word  before. 

2.  Explain  why  it  is  important  to  think  about  calories  in  plan- 
ning food  for  a  meal. 

^  For  further  work  of  this  kind,  see  Foods  and  Household  Manage- 
ment, Kinne-Cooley,  and  Laboratory  Handbook  for  Dietetics,  and  Food  for 
the  Family,  Mary  Swartz  Rose,  The  Macmillan  Co. 


28o  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

3.  Why  is  the  loo-calorie  portion  of  lettuce  so  much  larger 
than  the  lOO-calorie  portion  of  meat,  butter,  and  sugar  ? 

4.  Can  you  decide  what  kind  of  meals  Mrs.  Allen  gave  to  her 
husband  that  would  lower  the  number  of  calories  ? 

5.  Why  did  Mr.  Allen  need  fewer  calories  in  his  diet  ? 

Lesson   29 

buying  and  selling  foods 

On  the  farm  we  raise  much  of  our  own  food,  but  there  are  some 
things  that  we  must  buy.  What  ought  we  to  learn  about  buying 
food  ?     What  can  a  girl  do  about  selling  food  products  I 

It  is  very  easy  for  people  living  in  the  country  to  buy 
many  articles  by  mail,  for  there  are  large  firms  that 
send  out  catalogues  of  everything  that  is  needed  about 
the  house  and  farm.  Miss  Travers  from  the  State 
College  said  that  we  should  be  careful  to  send  our  orders 
to  firms  that  are  known  to  be  good.  It  is  possible  that 
some  things  are  made  under  conditions  that  are  bad  for 
the  workers,  and  the  goods  be  thus  made  unsanitary  for 
the  buyers. 

Miss  Travers  told  the  club  that  her  college  had 
studied  carefully  the  question  of  buying  by  mail,  and 
had  found  that,  when  the  women  bought  in  the  nearest 
town,  they  did  quite  as  well  in  regard  to  price,  and  had 
the  advantage  of  seeing  what  they  were  purchasing. 
On  the  other  hand.  Miss  Travers  appreciated  the  fact 
that,  in  winter  weather  and  when  work  at  home  is  heav}'', 
ordering  by  mail  is  much  more  convenient. 

In  buying  food  it  is  an  economy,  when  there  is  storage 


OTHER  FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD 


281 


room,  to  order  large  quantities  from  a  wholesale  dealer, 
—  as  sugar  and  flour,  by  the  barrel. 

Honest  weights  and  measures.  When  we  buy  food 
in  packages,  in  cans  or  bottles,  we  want  to  be  sure  that 
we  are  given  the  correct  weight  or  measure.  Is  it  not  a 
good  thing  that  our  Government  at  Washington  is  help- 
ing us  in  this  way  ?     On  May  11,  1914,  at  Washington, 


Ml 

^W          M 

u. 

y 

&L 

K^,.               "* 

MHPSMMiBii 

Fig. 


t2S. 


United  States  Department  of  Commerce,  Circular  of  the  Bureau  of  Standards,  A/o.  55. 

Weights  and  measures  that  all  housekeepers  are  advised  to  use. 


D.C.,  the  regulations  were  signed  which  make  the  man- 
ufacturers tell  the  weight,  volume,  and  contents  clearly 
on  their  packages  of  food.  This  applies  to  the  whole 
country.  The  law  itself  was  passed  in  1913,  but  no  one 
was  made  to  pay  the  penalty  for  disobedience  until 
September,  19 14.  Some  states  and  cities  have  laws  of 
this  kind.  The  Bureau  of  Commerce  has  also  pub- 
lished a  pamphlet  telling  about  household  weights  and 
measures.  Here  is  a  picture  (Fig.  125)  of  the  weights  and 
measures  that  all  housekeepers  are  advised  to  use.     For 


282 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


there  is  only  one  way  that  you  can  be  absolutely  sure ; 
that  is,  to  measure  and  weigh  what  you  have  bought. 
One  of  the  business  men  of  Pleasant  Valley  was  so  in- 
terested in  this  pamphlet  that  he  bought  a  set  of  scales 
and  measures  for  the  school,  that  the  pupils  might  learn 
how  to  weigh  and  measure  accurately,  and  to  test  pack- 
ages. The  pictures 
that  follow  show 
some  of  the  frauds 
used  by  dealers. 
One  of  the  tricks 
of  the  trade  is  to 
use  liquid  measure 
instead  of  dry 
measure  for  certain 
food  materials. 
You  can  see  what  a 
difference  it  makes 
in  the  beans  in 
Figure  126.  Look 
at  the  picture  (Fig. 
127)  of  the  bottles. 
Is  it  not  strange  that  the  bottle  that  looks  the  smallest 
holds  the  most .?  Miss  James  said, ''  If  you  are  tempted 
to  buy  some  flavoring  that  seems  to  be  cheaper  than 
another,  you  had  better  find  out  whether  you  are 
really  getting  as  much  for  your  money." 

Cheap  brands  of  food  are  often  made  of  poor  material. 
Ask  the  Woman's  Club  to  write  to  the  State  University 


United  States  Dcparlmenl  uf  Commerce,  Circular 
of  the  Bureau  of  Standards,  No.  55. 

Fig.   126, — ^See  what  a  difference  it  makes  to  use 
liquid  instead  of  dry  measure  for  beans. 


OTHER   FACTS  ABOUT   FOOD 


283 


for  advice  in  regard  to  reliable  dealers.  We  have  pure 
food  laws  in  our  country,  but  we  must  learn  to  obey 
and  enforce  them. 

Clean  food,  again.     It  is  important  in  buying  foods 
to  consider  cleanliness  as  well  as  the  exact  measure  or 


United  States  Department  of  Commerce,  Circular  of  the  Bureau  of  Standards,  No.  65. 

Fig.  127.  —  Three  bottles  of  extract  (front  and  side  views).  This  shows  the 
impossibility  of  correctly  estimating  the  quantity  of  contents  from  apparent 
size  of  the  container.  The  bottle  which  is  apparently  smallest  holds  the 
most,  and  vice  versa. 


weight.  Clean  milk  and  meat  we  have  already  talked 
about.  It  is  not  wise  to  buy  salted  almonds  or  any 
nut  meats  taken  out  of  the  shell,  because  sometimes 
these  are  prepared  in  uncleanly  places.  Crack  your 
own  nuts  with  a  hammer,  and  take  out  the  meats  with 
clean  hands  and  a  nutpick.      Fruits  that  come  from 


284  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

foreign  countries,  like  dates  and  figs,  we  should  be  sure 
to  wash  carefully  before  using. 

If  we  buy  bread  and  cake  from  a  baker's  cart,  as  we 
do  sometimes  in  the  country,  especially  in  the  summer, 
we  should  know  whether  or  not  the  bakery  is  clean. 
It  is  a  great  comfort  in  the  hot  weather  to  give  up  the 
baking  for  a  while  ;  but  how  unfortunate  to  buy.  food 
made  of  poor  materials  and  in  an  uncleanly  way.  There 
are  large  bakeries  in  some  cities  where  the  bread  is  made 
without  being  touched  by  the  hands,  the  paper  wrapper 
even  being  put  on  by  machinery.  This  is  a  matter  for 
study  by  the  Woman's  Club.  If  there  are  bakery  laws, 
they  should  be  enforced.  No  one  has  a  right  to  sell 
baked  food  on  which  flies  have  crawled.  We  all  should 
be  too  intelligent  to  eat  impure  and  unclean  food. 

Cannot  a  girl  help  herself  and  her  family  by  earning 
a  little  money .?  Many  mothers  and  daughters  around 
Pleasant  Valley  have  what  we  call  the  "  egg  money." 
In  the  lesson  on  eggs  we  have  already  talked  over  some 
points  about  selling  eggs.  The  Girls'  Club  one  day 
asked  if  Miss  Travers  and  Miss  James  would  not  dis- 
cuss with  them  the  question  of  earning  money  in  other 
ways.  Barbara  Cakes  said  that  she  wanted  to  go  away 
to  school  and  then  to  the  State  College,  after  she  had 
finished  at  the  Pleasant  Valley  School ;  but  with  their 
large  family,  she  did  not  know  whether  she  could  ask 
her  father  to  help  her.  The  girls  had  already  heard 
of  the  canning  clubs  and  knew  that  in  this  way  each 
girl  could  have  a  little  income.     As  a  result  of  their 


OTHER   FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD 


285 


discussion  with  their  teachers  and  with  their  mothers 
and  fathers,  two  or  three  of  the  club  members  decided  to 
make  bread  and  some  other  baked  foods  for  sale.  Miss 
James  called  upon  several  of  the  members  of  the  Wo- 
man's Club  who  might  be  willing  to  be  relieved  of  some 
of  their  baking.     Several  of  the  ladies  were  glad  to  try 


Courtesy  of  Miss  Katherine  Braithwaite. 


Fig.  128.  —  Raising  ducks  is  a  possible  occupation, 
iron  sink  is  used  for  a  swimming  pool. 


An  old 


this  experiment  and  they  have  found  that  the  girls  can 
make 'really  delicious  bread,  rolls,  cake,  cookies,  and 
desserts. 

An  experiment  in  making  butter  for  sale.  A  part  of 
Mr.  Allen's  income  comes  from  his  selling  his  very  good 
milk  to  a  creamery.  Marjorie  said  to  him  one  day: 
"  Father,  you  certainly  have  good  cows.     How  differ- 


286 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


ent  they  are  from  those  on  Mr.  Blank's  farm  !  Miss 
Travers  noticed  it  one  day  when  she  was  here  and  we 
were  taking  her  to  drive.     She  said,  *  Why  does  Mr. 


Covjtesy  of  the  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  at  Cornell  University. 
Fig.   129. — Marjorie  Allen  and  her  new  work  and  play. 

Blank  have  such  poor  cows  ? '  I  could  not  help  telling 
her  that  he  has  only  three  cans  of  milk  from  fifteen  cows, 
and  you  have  four  cans  from  six."  ^ 

This  little  book  cannot  tell  you  very  much  about 
dairying,  but  the  U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture  will 

^  This  is  an  actual  fact  in  one  town. 


OTHER   FACTS  ABOUT  FOOD  287 

send  all  the  pamphlets  about  cows  and  butter  that  you 
need. 

Marjorie  astonished  her  father  by  asking  if  he  would 
give  to  herself  and  her  brother  Frank  one  of  the  fine 
calves,  if  they  would  care  for  it.  She  was  not  sure 
that  she  could  now  pay  for  all  its  feed,  but  when 
it  was  older  she  thought  that  she  could  return  to 
him  what  the  calf  had  cost,  in  butter.  Mr.  Allen 
talked  it  over  with  Mrs.  Allen,  and  finally  allowed 
Marjorie  and  her  brother  Frank  to  try  the  experi- 
ment. The  brother  and  sister  read  all  the  pamphlets 
that  they  could  find,  studied  the  question  of  food 
for  the  calf,  and  kept  an  account  of  its  cost.  They 
learned,  too  about  butter  making  and  ways  of  selling 
butter.  The  experiment  has  not  ended  yet,  but  in  the 
meantime  Marjorie  is  making  butter  with  her  mother. 
Do  you  suppose  that  some  one  of  you  could  do 
this,  too  ^  Although  they  plan  always  to  live  in  the 
country,  Marjorie  and  her  brother  are  very  anxious  to 
go  to  the  State  College,  and  they  want  to  help  educate 
themselves. 

Pin  money  from  fresh  vegetables.  A  girl  who  will 
give  herself  the  pleasure  of  working  in  a  vegetable 
garden  in  the  summer  will  probably  be  able  to  sell 
her  delicious  fresh  vegetables.  These  can  even  be 
sent  away  by  parcel  post.  You  can  get  directions 
from  the  post  office  about  mailing  boxes  to  be  used 
in  this  way. 


288  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

EXERCISES    AND    PROBLEMS 

1.  Study  the  labels  on  all  the  food  packages  and  bottles  that 
you  have  at  home  and  at  school. 

2.  If  you  have  scales  of  any  kind,  measure  a  few  of  the  food  pack- 
ages either  at  home  or  at  school. 

3.  Measure  the  contents  of  a  few  bottles  to  see  if  they  agree 
with  their  labels. 

4.  Find  out  the  laws  of  your  own  state  and  town  in  regard  to 
pure  food. 

5.  What  are  some  of  the  important  points  to  remember  in  sell- 
ing food  .? 

6.  Is  it  good  business  to  sell  material  of  poor  quality  ?     Why 
not? 

7.  Is  it  good  business  in  selling  fruit  to  put  the  best  on  the  top 
and  the  poor  underneath  } 

8.  Can  you  think  of  other  ways  than  those  suggested  in  this 
lesson  for  a  girl  to  earn  a  little  money  at  home .? 

REVIEW  ^ 

1.  What  is  the  use  of  a  thermometer  ? 

2.  Do  you  know  how  to  use  a  Centigrade  thermometer .? 

3.  What  is  a  calorie  .? 

4.  What  is  meant  by  a  lOO-calorie  portion  ? 

5.  What  are  you  going  to  be  particular  about  when  you  buy 
food? 

6.  What  is  the  government  doing  to  help  you  to  have  pure  food 
and  honest  weights  ? 

7.  If  some  one  in  your  family  seems  to  be  under  weight,  what 
can  you  suggest  ? 


THE   ELLEN  H.   RICHARDS   HOUSE 


You  will  be  glad  to  know  that  all  the  townspeople 
in  Pleasant  Valley  were  delighted  with  the  year's  work 
in  home  making  at  the  new  schoolhouse.     Mr.  Roberts, 


^> 


*.  ,^ 


f 


'gm^  '■ 


'^mm^ 


Courtesy  of  Mr.  R.  J.  Plauten. 


Fig.  130.  — The  Ellen  H.  Richards  House. 

the  president  of  the    Pleasant   Valley   Bank,  was   so 
pleased   with   the   results  both  at  school  and  in   the 
homes  of  the  valley  that  he  gave  the  house  that  you 
u  289 


290  FOOD  AND   HEALTH 

see  in  the  picture  (Fig.  130),  to  be  used  for  home- 
making  classes  by  the  girls,  and  for  the  boys'  clubs  as 
as  well.  The  house  was  named  for  Mrs.  Ellen  H. 
Richards,  the  great  and  good  woman  of  Boston,  Mas- 
sachusetts, whose  friends  are  found  all  over  the  world, 
and  who  helped  to  develop  the  teaching  of  home  eco- 
nomics ever)rwhere. 

What  are  some  of  the  facts  about  food  and  health 
that  a  girl  may  learn  useful  to  herself  and  her  family  ? 
This  is  the  question  at  the  beginning  of  the  first  chap- 
ter. Do  you  not  think  that  you  can  all  give  an  answer 
now  ^  And  would  you  not  like  to  write  a  composition 
about  it  ?  Perhaps  your  teacher  will  have  a  gathering 
at  the  school  of  all  the  fathers  and  mothers.  Maybe 
one  of  you  can  write  a  little  play  or  pageant  connected 
in  some  way  with  household  arts  for  this  closing  party 
of  the  school  year. 

And  where  is  Pleasant  Valley  ?  Perhaps  you  asked 
this  question  when  you  looked  at  the  picture  on  one  of 
the  first  pages.  Pleasant  Valley  is  your  own  home 
town  ;  and,  though  it  really  has  quite  another  name,  it 
still  may  be  Pleasant  Rivers,  or  Pleasant  Hill,  or  Pleas- 
ant Fields,  or  Pleasant  Plain.  Why  not  ?  In  this  wide 
country  of  ours  there  are  many  forms  of  natural  beauty. 
Even  in  the  dry  sections  where  trees  are  grown  with 
difficulty,  there  are  still  the  far  reaches  of  the  plains 
and  the  beautiful  effects  of  sky  and  cloud,  sunrise 
and  sunset.  If  our  own  town  is  ugly  and  unhealthy, 
it  is  not  nature's  fault,  for  the  beauty  and  homelikeness 


THE   ELLEN  H.   RICHARDS   HOUSE        291 

and  the  healthfulness  of  any  place  depend  upon  its 
inhabitants.  Even  the  simplest  and  plainest  village  or 
countryside  has  one  kind  of  beauty  if  it  is  kept  perfectly 
clean.  At  the  same  time,  it  costs  but  little  money  in 
many  places  to  plant  trees  and  shrubs  and  to  keep  the 
grass  green. 

You  must  see,  however,  that  it  is  something  more 
than  beauty  in  the  things  about  us  that  we  have  been 
studying  together.  You  boys  and  girls  in  your  own 
school  are  to  be  the  men  and  women  who  will  make 
the  homes  and  the  town  the  best  possible  places  for 
successful  and  happy  living.  Do  you  realize  what  it 
means  to  be  citizens  of  a  great  commonwealth  like  this 
of  our  United  States  ?  Do  you  understand  the  word 
"  commonwealth " .?  It  is  a  good,  old  word  that 
means  a  land  where  all  the  people  share  their  wealth 
and  work  together  for  the  good  of  all.  We  cannot  suc- 
ceed in  making  our  country  a  commonwealth  until  we 
begin  in  our  home  and  in  our  home  town.  More  and 
more  must  our  country  stand  for  democracy  for  our- 
selves and  the  whole  world.  You  must  bring  to  the 
problems  of  the  future  strong  bodies,  and  clean  and 
strong  hearts  and  minds. 


PAGES  FROM  MARJORIE  ALLEN'S  NOTEBOOK 

1.  Utensils  for  the  school  lunch.  Polly  sent  me  this  answer, 
when  I  wrote  to  ask  her  for  a  list  of  utensils  that  they  were  using 
at  the  Big  Tree  School  (see  Fig.  6) : 

**  With  the  money  we  gave  and  a  part  of  our  prize  money  from 
our  school  exhibit  at  the  Erie  County  Fair,  we  bought  the  rest 
of  our  cooking  equipment :  12  towels,  2  dish  pans,  i  granite  kettle 
(8  qt.),  I  granite  saucepan  (6  qt.),  i  basin,  i  dipper,  i  measuring 
cup,  2  toasters,  i  strainer  or  sieve,  2  large  spoons,  i  paring  knife. 
We  bought  large  granite  dishes  so  that  we  might  cook  enough  food 
for  lunch  at  noon.  Soap,  matches,  holders,  etc.,  were  given  by 
some  of  our  Mothers.  We  also  bought  a  small  washboard  which 
could  be  used  in  the  dish  pan  to  wash  out  the  towels  after  using, 
and  each  week  some  one  took  the  towels  home  to  be  washed  there." 

A  friend  of  Miss  James  who  teaches  in  the  Extension  Depart- 
ment of  the  Ohio  State  University  sent  this  list : 

I  two-burner  oil  stove ?4  or  $8 

I  oven  to  fit  one  burner 1.50 

I  dish  pan  (tin) 10  to  .20 

I  drain  pan  (tin  or  granite) .20 

I  large  container,  8  or  10  qt.  (a  kettle  or  stock  pot 

retinned  or  granite) 60-1.75 

1  kettle,  6  or  8  qt.  size  (retinned  or  granite)       .     .         .60 

2  covers  to  fit  kettles .20 

I  colander  (tin) .10 

I  tray 10 

1  spatula 35-40 

2  tablespoons .10 

2  teaspoons .10 

I  measuring  cup  (tin  or  glass) 10 

I  can  opener 15 

292 


MARJORIE  ALLEN'S  NOTEBOOK 


293 


I  kitchen  fork $.10 

I  large  fork 10 

I  bread  knife 60 

I  egg  beater 05 

I  paring  knife 10 

I  potato  masher 10 

I  soup  ladle  (half  pt.) 25 

I  wooden  spoon  (stirring) 15 

I  sauce  pan  (i  qt.  size) 30 

Total $9.95  to  $15.25 

Small  covered  cans  or  jars  are  useful  for  holding  supplies,  as 
flour,  sugar,  salt,  etc.  A  Mason  jar  or  tin  lard  pail  can  be  used. 
A  pail  for  water  and  one  for  garbage  are  necessary.  All  garbage 
should  be  burned  or  buried. 

2.    An  easy  way  to  write  measures  in  our  books : 


lb.    =  pound 
ssp.  =  saltspoonful 
tsp.  =  teaspoonful 
tb.    =  tablespoonful 


cp.     =  cup 
pt.     =  pint 
qt.     =  quart 
gall.  =  gallon 
pk.    =  peck 
bu.    =  bushel 


3.  What  food  does  for  us.  Food  builds  our  bodies,  and  gives 
us  fuel ;  and  so  gives  us  heat  and  power  to  work.  It  also  helps 
to  make  the  body  run  properly  —  "regulates  the  body,"  Miss 
James  says.  She  explained  this  by  saying  that  one  thing  that 
water  does  is  to  help  keep  oUr  bodies  at  an  even  heat. 

4.  What  do  we  mean  by  foodstuffs  ?  There  are  many  kinds  of 
food  materials,  but  they  are  all  made  of  a  few  substances  called 
foodstuffs. 


Body  Builders 


Protein 

Mineral  matter  or  ash 


Fuel  Foods 


Protein 

Fat 

Carbohydrates  (Starch  and  sugar) 


Body  Regulators 


Water 
Mineral  matter 


294  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

Cellulose,  or  vegetable  fiber,  is  not  digested,  and  does  not  nourish 
us,  but  it  helps  to  keep  the  digestive  tract  in  order.  It  is  a  good 
plan  to  use  some  bran  in  cereals  and  muffins. 

5.  Some  food  materials  have  one  foodstufif  only,  and  others  all  of 
them.  This  list  helps  me  to  remember  the  foodstuffs  in  different 
food  materials : 

Foods  largely  protein  :  lean  meat  of  all  kinds,  fish,  shellfish,  eggs, 
cheese. 

Foods  rich  in  protein  but  with  more  of  other  substances  than  the 
above  :  milk,  cereals,  bread,  macaroni,  nuts,  dried  peas,  beans,  and 
lentils. 

Foods  largely  fat :  butter,  cream,  olive  oil,  bacon,  lard,  oleo- 
margarine, fat  from  meat  or  nuts. 

Foods  rich  in  fat  but  with  more  of  other  materials  than  the 
above :   milk,  egg  yolk,  nuts,  fat  meats. 

Foods  largely  carbohydrate :  sugars,  starches,  honey,  molasses, 
sirups,  tapioca,  potatoes,  bananas. 

Foods  rich  in  carbohydrate  but  with  more  of  other  materials 
than  the  above :  bread,  cereals,  macaroni,  milk,  sweet  fruits, 
carrots,  parsnips,  corn,  dried  peas  and  beans. 

Foods  rich  in  mineral  matter  :  milk,  egg  yolks,  cereals  made  from 
the  whole  grain,  fruits,  green  vegetables,  dried  peas  and  beans. 

6.  Why  do  we  cook,  and  how  ?  We  cook  food  sometimes  to 
make  it  look  good  to  eat ;  to  change  the  flavor ;  to  make  it  digest 
more  readily;  to  kill  yeast,  bacteria,  and  molds.  We  can  cook 
in  all  these  ways  : 

Heat  direct  from  coal,  charcoal,  wood,  or  gas : 

Toasting :   Surfaces  of  food  exposed  and  turned  for  browning. 
Broiling :  Thin  portions  of  meat  or  fish  exposed  and  turned  for 

searing,  browning,  and  short  cooking  of  the  interior. 
Roasting :   Thicker  cuts  of  meat  exposed  and  turned  frequently 

for  searing,  browning,  and  gradual  cooking  of  the  interior. 

This  is  an  ancient  method.     We  use  it  in  gas  stoves  when  we 

cook  directly  under  the  gas. 


MARJORIE  ALLEN'S  NOTEBOOK  295 

Heat  through  some  substance : 
Cooking  in  water : 

Boiling:  Cooking  in  boiling  water,  temperature,  212°  F.,  or 

100°  C. 
Simmering,  stewing,  or  "  coddling."  —  Cooking  in  water  below 

the  boiling  temperature,  180°  F.  up  to  210°  F. 
Steaming :  Cooking  in  a  receptacle  into  which  steam  passes, 
21 2°  F.  —  or  in  a  closed  receptacle  with  steam  or  boiling  water 
around  the  inner  vessel  as  in  a  double  boiler,  or  a  "  steamer," 
temperature  from  200°  F.  to  210°  F. 
Cooking  in  fat : 

Deep  fat  frying,  temperature  350°-400°  F. 
Cooking  by  heated  surfaces  : 

Pan  broiling  :   Cooking  of  chops  or  steaks  in  a  heated  pan,  with- 
out additional  fat. 
Sauter :    To  cook  in  a  heated  pan  with  a  small  amount  of  fat, 
enough  merely  to  prevent  the  food  from  sticking  to  the  pan  and 
to   hasten    the   browning   process.      "  Baking "    cakes   on    a 
griddle  is  one  form  of  this. 
Baking :    Cooking  in  a  heated  oven,  temperature  from  300°  F. 
to  450°  F.  or  higher  for  rapid  browning.     Meat  and  poultry 
cooked  in  an  oven  are  baked  and  not  roasted,  although  we  use 
the  word  "  roast  "  for  this  method. 
Braising :  Cooking  meat  in  a  heated  oven  in  a  closed  vessel,  with 
a   supply   of  water   to   keep   down   the   temperature.     This 
might  be  called  an  "  oven  stew." 
These  methods  are  sometimes  combined  in  one  process.     In  a 
brown  stew,  the  meat  is  first  cooked  in  a  pan  with  a  little  fat  to 
brown  it,  and  to  sear  the  outside  for  keeping  in  the  juices,  before 
the  stewing  begins.     A  "  pot  roast "  is  an  old-fashioned  method  of 
cooking  a  solid  piece  of  meat  with  a  little  water  in  a  pot  on  top  of 
the  stove.     The  water  simmers  out,  and  the  meat  is  browned. 

7.    Something  about  baking.     Miss  James  says  that  the  only 
way  to  test  an  oven  is  by  a  thermometer  with  a  bulb  that  is  really 


296 


FOOD  AND  HEALTH 


in  the  oven.  Mother  says  that  she  will  have  a  hole  bored  into  the 
oven  when  I  have  saved  enough  money  to  buy  a  long  "  chemical  '* 
thermometer  that  can  be  run  in  through  the  hole.  The  ther- 
mometers on  oven  doors  are  a  help,  but  they  are  not  exact.  Miss 
James  has  a  friend  at  Teachers  College,  Columbia  University, 
New  York,  who  sent  her  a  pamphlet,  "  Oven  Temperature,"  by 
Professor  May  B.  Van  Arsdale.  Here  is  one  table  that  she  gives. 
The  arrow  means  high  temperature  at  first  and  then  low. 


Slow 

Moderate 

Hot  or  "Quick" 

Very  Hot 

250-350  F. 

350-400  F. 

400-460  F. 

450-550  F. 

Custards 
Meringues 

Sponge 
Angel 

Cake 

Food 

Bread 

Gingerbread 
Plain  Cake 
Cookies 

Baking 
Rolls 

Powder  Biscuit 

D„„.. 

1 

While  I  am  waiting  for  my  thermometer,  I  must  do  my  best  by 
browning  pieces  of  white  paper,  and  "  learning  by  experience." 

8.  Time-table  for  canning.  Mrs.  Jane  S.  McKimmon  of  Raleigh, 
N.C.,  sent  us  this  time-table  to  help  our  Canning  Club.  We 
sent  to  Mr.  O.  H.  Benson,  States  Relation  Service,  U.  S.  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  Washington,  D.C.,  for  full  directions  about 
our  Canning  Club. 


Tomatoes  . 
String  beans  . 
Sweet  potatoes 


Blanch 


5  minutes 
Cooki 
done 


Liquor 


No  water 
Brine 
Pack  dry 


No.  Can 


Exhaust 
Minutes 


Process  or 
Boil 


22  mmutes 
I  hour 
3  hours 


MARJORIE  ALLEN^S  NOTEBOOK 


297 


Blanch 

Liquor 

No.  Can 

Exhaust 
Minutes 

Process  or 
Boil 

Baby  beets 

Cookf 
done 

Brine 

3 

5 

2  hours 

Apples       

I  mmute 

#1  sirup 

3 

2 

8  minutes 

Berries 

#3  sirup 

3 

3 

10  minutes 

Berries 

#3  sirup 

10 

4 

32  minutes 

Peaches      

I  mmute 

#3  sirup 

3 

3 

15  minutes 

Pears 

Cherries  (sweet)      .     .     . 

I  mmute 

#3  sirup 
#3  sirup 

3 
qt.  glass 

3 
2 

25  minutes 
30  minutes 

Cherries  (sour)  .... 

#4  sirup 

jar 

qt.  glass 

jar 

2 

30  minutes 

(A  heavy  pack  of  peaches  such  as  those  that  are  layered  in  glass 
jars  will  require  a  50°  sirup.) 

The  following  vegetables  should  be  processed  (boiled)  the  same 
length  of  time  on  each  of  three  successive  days. 


Soup  mixture 
Corn       .     . 

Garden  peas 
Okra       .     . 


Blanch 


On  cob  2 
minutes 
I  to  4  min. 
3  minutes 


Liquor 


Salt  and  sugar 
Water,  salt  and 

sugar 
Water 
Brine 


No.  Can 


Exhaust 

Minutes 


Process  or  Boil 

ON  Each  of  Three 

Successive  Days 


I  hour 

I  hr.  15  min. 
45  min.  to  I  hr. 
I  hour 


Brine  is  made  of  2J  ounces  (^  cup)  of  salt  to  i  gallon  of  water. 
To  make  sirups  recommended,  boil  sugar  and  water   together 
in  proportions  given  below : 

Sirup  #1,  use  14  ounces  to  i  gallon  water. 
Sirup  #2,  use  i  pound  14  ounces  to  i  gallon  water. 
Sirup  #3,  use  3  pounds  9  ounces  to  i  gallon  water. 
Sirup  #4,  use  5  pounds  8  ounces  to  i  gallon  water. 
Sirup  #5,  use  6  pounds  13  ounces  to  i  gallon  water. 
I  pint  sugar  is  one  pound.     A  pound  is  16  ounces. 


298  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

9.  Canning  meat  at  home.  Bulletin  No.  loi,  Vol.  V,  New  York 
State  College,  Cornell  University  Talk  about  Canning  Meat  at 
Home. 

Sear  the  meat  or  chicken  in  a  hot  oven,  in  hot  fat,  or  in  boiHng 
water,  and  steam  it  or  simmer  it  until  it  can  be  torn  apart.  Pack 
the  meat  into  the  jars,  fill  the  space  with  stock,  and  add  one-half 
teaspoonful  of  salt  to  each  pint  of  meat.  Sterilize  the  meat  for 
three  hours,  in  a  boiler  (page  loo).  Unless  the  meat  is  first 
browned,  it  does  not  have  so  good  a  flavor. 

10.  Starch  experiments  we  like  to  try.  Starch  turns  a  pretty 
blue  color  in  iodine  and  water. 

1.  Grate  a  piece  of  potato  into  a  small  amount  of  water,  and 
strain  out  the  pulp.  The  starch  settles  from  the  water  in  a  few 
minutes.  Pour  off  the  water,  and  add  a  drop  of  diluted  iodine  to 
the  remaining  starch.  Dilute  this  mixture  and  with  a  dropper 
tube  place  a  drop  upon  a  slide.  We  could  see  the  potato  starch 
granules  through  our  microscope. 

2.  Drop  a  teaspoonful  of  dry  starch  into  boiling  water. 

3.  Mix  a  teaspoonful  of  starch  with  a  small  quantity  of  cold 
water,  and  stir  this  into  boiling  water. 

4.  Mix  a  teaspoonful  of  starch  with  \  cup  of  cold  water,  and 
bring  the  water  to  the  boiling  point,  stirring  the  mixture  as  it  heats. 

Why  are  3  and  4  similar  in  result,  and  different  from  2  ? 

5.  Test  all  these  with  a  drop  of  iodine. 

11.  Experiments  with  baking  powder.  These  are  the  experiments 
we  tried  when  the  Woman's  Club  met  at  the  school.  We  liked 
No.  3  the  best  of  all. 

1.  Dissolve  half  a  teaspoonful  of  baking  powder  in  two  table- 
spoonfuls  of  water  and  heat  in  a  test  tube,  or  saucepan,  over  a 
flame ;  notice  the  effervescence  when  the  bubbling  is  at  its  height, 
and  hold  a  lighted  match  in  the  mouth  of  the  tube.  This  is  a  simple 
test  for  carbon  dioxide. 

2.  Dissolve  2  teaspoonfuls  of  cream  of  tartar  in  J  cup  water  in  a 
glass. 


MARJORIE  ALLEN'S  NOTEBOOK  299 

Dissolve  I  teaspoonful  of  bicarbonate  of  soda  in  |  cup  water 
in  a  glass. 

Taste  both  of  these. 

Test  both  with  litmus  paper,  noting  the  change  of  color.  There 
are  several  vegetable  coloring  matters  that  change  color  in  this 
way,  in  the  presence  of  an  acid  or  an  alkaline  substance. 

Turn  the  two  solutions  together,  and  test  with  both  blue  and 
pink  litmus  paper,  after  the  solution  has  stood  for  several  minutes. 
What  results  .? 

Taste  this  mixed  solution  to  see  if  you  can  detect  any  difference. 

To  prove  that  there  is  a  substance  still  left,  evaporate  the 
water. 

3.  A  pretty  form  of  this  experiment  is  to  use,  instead  of  litmus, 
the  water  in  which  red  cabbage  has  previously  been  boiled,  and 
which,  therefore,  contains  some  of  the  coloring  matter  of  the 
cabbage.  The  changes  in  color  are  very  striking,  and  prove  con- 
clusively that  neither  the  cream  of  tartar  nor  the  soda  remains 
such. 

12.  Where  does  that  carbon  in  the  plants  come  from  ?  When 
I  asked  Father  how  much  he  paid  for  the  carbon  for  his  plants 
he  said,  "Not  one  penny!"  Miss  James  says  that  we  cannot 
understand  the  whole  true  fairy  story  until  we  study  biology  and 
botany.  It  is  something  like  this.  Plants  breathe  through  their 
leaves,  and  they  take  in  carbon  dioxide  gas  which  is  in  the  air. 
Then  in  some  way  the  carbon  is  used  in  making  starch  and  sugar 
in  the  plant.  We  eat  the  sugar  and  starch  and  so  have  the  carbon. 
When  we  study  more  about  physiology  and  nutrition,  we  shall 
understand  how  it  is  that  we  breathe  out  carbon  dioxide  gas! 
And  as  to  the  carbon  in  our  coal,  it  is  the  carbon  that  was  stored 
up  in  plants  that  lived  so  many  thousand  years  ago,  that  we 
cannot  count  the  years.     This  we  learn  about  in  geology. 

13.  What  does  heat  do  to  the  foodstuffs  .? 

Protein.  There  are  several  forms  of  protein,  with  differences 
that  we  can  understand  only  after  a  thorough  study  of  chemistry. 


300  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

The  most  important  proteins  in  meat,  fish,  eggs,  milk,  old  beans, 
and  peas  coagulate,  or  become  slightly  harder  or  firmer  at  a  tem- 
perature below  the  boiling  point  of  water.  There  is  no  marked 
chemical  change;  that  is,  the  protein  is  not  changed  to  another 
substance. 

Fats.  Solid  fats  are  liquefied  by  heat,  and  freed  from  the 
tissue  that  contains  them  in  animal  fats  like  suet. 

When  a  fat  begins  to  smoke  with  heat,  a  chemical  change  is 
taking  place.  If  intense  heat  is  continued,  all  the  hydrogen  and 
oxygen  are  driven  off  and  pure  carbon  remains.  When  the  fat  is 
"  brown,"  giving  the  flavor  we  like,  a  part  of  the  oxygen  and  hydro- 
gen have  been  driven  off.  The  "  boiling  "  of  fat  in  a  kettle  is 
ordinarily  due  to  the  boiling  of  the  water  contained  in  the  fat. 

Starch.  Starch  occurs  in  the  form  of  granules.  See  Fig.  56. 
In  boiling  water,  the  granule  expands  and  finally  bursts,  and  frees 
the  content,  the  pure  starch,  and  the  whole  mass  thickens. 

Boiled  with  an  acid  the  starch  is  changed  to  dextrin,  a  substance 
resembling  a  gum,  and  the  mixture  becomes  thin ;  and  this  process 
continued  changes  the  dextrin  to  dextrose. 

With  intense  "  dry  "  heat,  as  in  toasting,  the  granule  expands 
and  opens,  and  the  contents  change  to  dextrin.  Continued  heat 
reduces  the  starch  to  pure  carbon.  The  brown  color  and  pleasant 
flavor  in  toast  are  a  stage  on  the  road  to  carbon. 

Sugar.  Sugar  first  melts  with  heat,  then  begins  to  decompose, 
giving  off^  water.  This  is  also  a  stage  on  the  road  to  pure  carbon. 
Caramel,  a  familiar  flavor,  is  sugar  in  the  brown  stage,  with  the 
water  partly  driven  off. 

The  art  in  applying  intense  heat  to  fat,  starch,  and  sugar  is  to 
know  the  stopping  point,  —  to  reach  the  "  brown  taste  "  and  stop 
short  of  the  "  burnt  taste." 

Mineral  matter.  The  "  ash  "  remains  for  the  most  part  un- 
changed by  heat,  but  may  be  lost  in  the  water  in  which  vegetables 
and  meat  are  cooked  if  the  water  is  thrown  away. 

Vegetable  fiber  is  softened  by  heat  and  moisture,  and  the  pro- 


MARJORIE  ALLEN'S  NOTEBOOK  301 

teln,  starch,  fat,  and  sugar  are  freed,  making  them  available  for  our 
digestion  and  nutrition. 

Meat  fiber  softens  at  a  low  temperature,  that  is,  below  the  boiling 
point  of  water,  with  moisture;  continued  intense  heat  shrinks 
and  hardens  it.  A  tender  steak  fried  with  fat  in  a  hot  pan  will 
soon  resemble  sole  leather. 

14.    Suggestions  for  the  basket  lunch. 

I  copied  this  from  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  712,  by  Miss  Caroline 
L.  Hunt: 

Paper  napkins  or  paper  towels  of  much  the  same  size  are  very 
useful  for  packing  lunches,  and,  like  paraffin  and  parchment  paper, 
may  now  be  bought  at  a  low  price. 

Napkins  can  be  made  also  out  of  cotton  crepe  at  a  cost  of  a  very 
few  cents  each.  The  crepe  may  be  bought  by  the  yard,  and  should 
be  cut  into  squares  and  fringed.  Such  napkins  do  not  need  to  be 
ironed. 

In  packing  the  lunch  basket  put  at  the  bottom  the  things  least 
likely  to  crush,  and  wrap  the  sandwiches,  etc.,  into  neat  parcels, 
not  all  in  one.  Paper  cups;  jelly  tumblers  with  covers,  which  can 
now  be  bought  in  several  sizes ;  bottles  with  screw  tops,  such  as 
those  in  which  candy  and  some  other  foods  are  sold ;  and  small 
jars  such  as  those  in  which  some  goods  are  sold  by  druggists,  can 
all  be  used  for  packing  jellies,  jams,  and  honey,  and  other  foods. 

A  Few  Bills  of  Fare  for  the  Basket  Lunch 

1.  Sandwiches  with  sliced  tender  meat  for  filling;  baked  apple, 
cookies,  or  a  few  lumps  of. sugar. 

2.  Slices  of  meat  loaf  or  bean  loaf ;  bread  and  butter  sandwiches ; 
stewed  fruit;  small  frosted  cake. 

3.  Crisp  rolls,  hollowed  out  and  filled  with  chopped  meat  or 
fish,  moistened  and  seasoned,  or  mixed  with  salad  dressing ;  orange, 
apple,  a  mixture  of  sliced  fruits,  or  berries ;  cake. 

4.  Lettuce  or  celery  sandwiches ;  cup  custard  ;  jelly  sandwiches. 


302  FOOD  AND  HEALTH 

5.  Cottage  cheese  and  chopped  green-pepper  sandwiches  or  a 
pot  of  cream  cheese  with  bread-and-butter  sandwiches ;  peanut 
sandwiches  ;  fruit ;  cake. 

6.  Hard-boiled  eggs;  crisp  baking-powder  biscuits;  celery  or 
radishes ;  brown-sugar  or  maple-sugar  sandwiches. 

7.  Bottle  of  milk;  thin  corn  bread  and  butter;  dates;  apple. 

8.  Raisin  or  nut  bread  with  butter;  cheese;  orange;  maple 
sugar. 

9.  Baked  bean  and  lettuce  sandwiches;  apple  sauce;  sweet 
chocolate. 

15.  Preparation  of  Orange  Pectin.  Miss  Agnes  Harris,  Assistant 
State  Agent  of  Florida,  in  charge  of  Home  Extension  work,  sent 
Miss  James  a  box  of  jellies  and  jams  that  her  girls  had  made,  and 
a  pamphlet  of  recipes. 

Use  i  lb.  white  orange  peel;  |  pt.  water;  2  tablespoons  lemon 
juice.  Cut  or  scrape  the  yellow  from  the  peel  of  the  orange.  Pass 
the  remaining  white  portion  through  a  food  chopper;  then  weigh 
it.  For  each  |  lb.  of  the  peel,  add  |  pt.  of  water.  Add  the  lemon 
juice,  mix  thoroughly,  and  allow  to  stand  i  hr.  Add  i|  pts.  of 
water.  Let  stand  i  hr.,  boil  10  minutes,  and  then  let  stand  until 
cold.  Place  in  a  flannel  jelly  bag,  press  to  remove  the  juice,  and 
drain  juice  through  a  clean,  flannel  jelly  bag.  It  may  be  prepared, 
poured  into  jars  while  hot,  sealed,  and  kept  for  later  use. 

For  strawberry  and  orange  pectin  jelly  use  \  pt.  orange  pectin ; 
J  lb.  sugar;  J  pt.  strawberry  juice.  Mother  and  I  are  experi- 
menting with  pineapple,  cherry  juice,  and  other  fruits. 

The  alcohol  pectin  test.  Pour  a  teaspoonful  of  fruit  juice,  when 
cooled,  into  a  clean  cup,  and  pour  in  a  teaspoonful  of  grain  alcohol 
of  95%  strength.  Mix  by  gently  shaking;  then  pour  into  a  spoon. 
For  jelly,  if  the  pectin  is  in  a  soHd  lump,  it  is  safe  to  add  equal 
parts  of  sugar  and  juice ;  if  it  has  not  gathered  in  one  lump,  use 
less  sugar, —  say  f  sugar  to  i  of  juice. 


INDEX 


Air  as  cleanser,  137. 

Bacteria  (Continued) 

Alcohol : 

how  to  fight,  96. 

from  bread,  49. 

in  meat,  210. 

result  of  fermentation,  97. 

in  milk,  36. 

Allen  family : 

types  of,  95. 

dining  table  on, piazza,  72. 

Bacteria  cells,  95. 

"sugaring  off,"  132. 

Baking: 

American  custom  for  use  of  silver  and 

bread,  49,  53. 

dishes,  80. 

fruit,  112. 

Apparatus : 

potato,  121. 

for  cooking,  246-255. 

vegetables,  228. 

for  preserving  fruits,  97. 

Baking  powder : 

Apple: 

biscuit,  181. 

baked,  in,  113. 

griddle  cakes,  127. 

calorie  portion,  275. 

study  of,  184. 

composition  of,  no. 

Baked-bean  loaf,  85. 

cooking,  112. 

Baked  beans,  230. 

drying,  105. 

Baked  Indian  pudding,  240. 

for  fruit  beverage,  18. 

Baked  peas,  231. 

Apple  butter,  loi. 

Baked  potatoes,  123. 

Apple  jelly,  102. 

Baker's  bread,  46. 

Apple  sauce,  113. 

Banana,  20. 

Apple  scallop,  115. 

Barberries,  113. 

Apricots,  114. 

Beef: 

Ash: 

calorie  portions,  275. 

in  celery,  225. 

corning,  214. 

in  corn,  225. 

creamed  dried,  151. 

in  milk,  35. 

cuts  of,  208. 

in  parsley,  225. 

"frizzled"  with  egg,  151. 

in  potato,  118. 

how  to  cook  corned,  215. 

product  of  combustion,  7. 

prime  ribs  of,  210. 

Atkinson  cooker,  165,  250. 

ways  of  cooking,  212,  214,  216 

See  Steak  and  Roasts. 

Bacilli,  95. 

Bees,  132. 

Bacteria : 

Berries : 

harmful  in  water,  22. 

dried,  114. 

help  purify  water,  22. 

for  table,  in. 

303 


304 


INDEX 


Berries  (Continued) 

value  in  diet,  109. 
Beverages : 

for  school  lunch,  18-25. 

fruit,  18. 

hot,  26-31. 
Big  Tree  School  Luncheon  Club,  15. 
Biscuit : 

baking  powder,  181. 

digestibility  of,  127. 

dough  for,  51. 

soda  and  sour  milk,  181. 
Blueberry  jelly,  103. 
Body-building  material : 

in  bread,  46. 

in  meat,  205. 

in  milk,  35. 

protein  as,  35. 
Boiled  salad  dressing,  88. 
Boiling : 

meat,  212,  215. 

potatoes,  121. 

vegetables,  228. 
Borax,  135. 

Boston  brown  bread,  86. 
Bread : 

baker's,  46. 

Boston  brown,  86. 

calorie  portions,  275. 

contest,  40,  42,  47. 

dough  for  rolls,  51. 

flour  for,  48. 

machine,  54. 

making,  48-55. 

points  of  good,  43. 

relation  of  price    to    food    value 
278. 

staple  food,  40-48. 

uses  for,  53. 

what  it  contains,  45. 

what  to  put  in,  51. 

why  a  cheap  food,  46. 

why  it  will  "  rise,"  49. 

why  put  yeast  in,  49, 
Bread  score,  43. 


of, 


Breads,  quick,  177-185. 
Breakfast : 

cereals,  156-165. 

coffee  for,  152. 

for  business  man,  147. 

for  farmers,  147. 

how  easy  to  get,  151. 

how  served  at  the  Aliens',  75. 

in  winter,  147. 

meat  dishes  for,  150-15 1. 

muffins  for,  181. 

plans  for,  147. 

reason  for  a  light,  148. 
Breakfast  dishes,  146-156. 
Broiling  chops  and  steaks,  216. 
Brown  Betty,  115. 
Brown  bread,  45. 
Brown  l^lizabeth,  115. 
Butcher's  cart,  209. 
Butter : 

calorie  portions,  275. 

diseases  carried  in,  36. 

in  bread,  51. 

making  for  sale,  285. 

using,  277. 
Butterine,  39,  51. 
Butter  sauce,  65. 
Buying  and  selling  foods,  280-287. 

Cabbage,  229. 
Cake,  79,  129-133. 
Calorie,  what  it  is,  273. 
Calorie  portions : 

in  foods,  275. 

of  vegetables,  223. 

study  of,  268-279. 

loo-calorie  portions,  275-279. 
Calorimeter,  272. 
Canned  fruits,  18,  114. 
Canned  oysters,  creamed,  64. 
Canneries,  94,  106. 
Canning : 

fruit  and  vegetables,  92-108. 

methods  of,  100. 

reasons  for,  92-94. 


INDEX 


305 


Canning  apparatus : 

steam  cooker,  98. 

sterilizer,  99. 
Canning  clubs,  4,  93,  94,  106. 
Carbohydrate : 

in  celery,  225. 

in  corn,  225. 

in  milk,  35. 

in  parsley,  225. 

in  potato,  118. 
Carbon,  119. 
Carbon  dioxide,  49. 
Celery : 

composition  of,  225. 

stewed,  229. 
Cellar: 

care  of  food  in,  262. 

care  of  vegetables  in,  224. 
Cells  of  yeast,  49. 
Centigrade,  270. 
Cereals : 

cooking,  159. 

corn,  161. 

double  boiler  for,  158. 

eating,  164. 

effect  of  cooking  on,  158. 

fireless  cooker  for,  165. 

ready  cooked,  158. 

rye,  162. 

time  for  cooking,  160. 

uses  of  cold,  160. 

why  valuable,  157. 
Cheese : 

for  sandwiches,  60. 

recipe  for,  33. 
Cheese  toast,  82. 

Chemicals  used  for  preserving,  97. 
Cherries : 

drying,  105. 

in  fruit-ade,  20. 
Chicken,  canned,  298. 
Chili  sauce,  103. 
China,  76. 
Chocolate,  27. 
Chops,  broiling,  216. 


Clam  chowder,  65. 

Clean  cup,  24. 

Cleanliness,  importance  of,  134. 

Clean  milk,  36,  39. 

Clearing  off  table,  265. 

Clearing  up  after  meals,  133-145. 

Coal  range,  248. 

Cocoa,  26-31. 

Coffee : 

boiled,  154. 

cereal,  152. 

drip,  155. 

effect  on  nerves,  26. 

for  breakfast,  152. 

percolator,  154. 

pots  for,  153. 
Common  drinking  glass,  24. 
"Commonwealth,"  291. 
Compost  heap,  266. 
Compressed  yeast,  50. 
Cooked  fruit,  iii. 
Cooker : 

Atkinson,  165,  250. 

fireless,  165,  255. 

homemade,  250. 

steam,  25. 
Cookies,  131. 
Cooking : 

apparatus,  246-256. 

at  school,  II. 

by  kerosene,  249. 

cereals,  159. 

dainty,  pretty  work,  27. 

effect  on  fruit,  iii. 

effect  on  potato,  120. 

fish,  66. 

fresh  meat,  216. 

meat,  214. 

neatly  dressed  for,  257. 

packing  box  equipment  for,  12. 

planning  for,  29. 

rice,  162. 

selecting  meat  for,  211. 

to  have  heat  for,  247. 

utensils  for,  192. 


3o6 


INDEX 


Cooking  (Continued) 

vegetables,  227—234. 
Corn: 

canning,  107. 

composition  of,  225. 

drying,  105. 
Corn  beef: 

hash,  150. 

how  to  cook,  215. 
Corning  beef,  214. 
Corn  meal : 

for  bread,  44,  161. 

in  griddle  cakes,  127. 

mush,  162. 
Corn  products,  161. 
Corn  starch : 

fruit  sponge  with,  236. 

pudding,  238. 
Correct  position   for  holding  knife  and 

fork,  79. 
Cow,  36-38. 
Cranberry  sauce,  113. 
"Crash"  for  table  cover,  74. 
Cream : 

calorie  portions,  275. 

for  children,  277. 

for  hot  drinks,  26. 

removed  by  dairy  separator,  35. 

using,  276. 

with  fruit,  iii. 
Creamed  codfish,  63. 
Creamed  dried  beef,  151. 
Creamed  potato,  125. 
Creaming  butter  and  sugar,  131. 
Cream  of  tartar,  19,  184. 
Cream  of  tomato  soup,  233. 
Creamy  rice  pudding,  239.  1 
Cupboard,  13. 
Cups: 

for  drinking,  24. 

for  measuring,  27. 
Curd  of  milk,  35. 
Currant  jelly,  19,  103. 
Currant  juice  for  beverages,  18. 
Currants,  in  bread,  51. 


Custard  ice  cream,  245. 

Dates,  115,  284. 
Desserts : 

dishes  for,  234-246. 

fruit,  115,  236. 

milk,  238. 

pies  as,  241-243, 
Diet: 

griddle  cakes  in,  127. 

milk  in,  34. 

value  of  fruit  in,  108. 
Dining  table,  72. 
Dinner : 

at  night,  148. 

home,  199-267. 

how  different  from  other  meals,  198- 
204. 

plans  for,  199,  203. 
Directions  for  work  in  canning  and  pre- 
serving, 98. 
Diseases,  carried  in  milk,  36. 
Dishcloth,  137. 
Dishes : 

placed  in  rack,  139. 

rinsing,  139. 

use  of,  79. 

washing,  133-145. 
Dishwasher,  142. 
Doilies  for  table,  73. 
Double  boiler,  13,  158. 
Drainage,  143. 
Dried  food,  105. 
Dried  fruit,  114. 
Dried  vegetable  soup,  232. 
Drinking  cups,  24. 
Drinking  fountain,  25. 
Dry  yeast,  50,  51. 

Earning  money,  284. 
Eating,  good  manners  in,  80. 
Eating  and  work,  148. 
Eggs: 

baked,  175. 

beating,  172. 


INDEX 


307 


Eggs  {Continued) 

boiled,  174. 

calorie  portions,  275. 

compared  with  milk,  36. 

cost  of,  169. 

digestibility  of,  60,  171. 

eating  raw,  173. 

effect  of  cooking  on,  172. 

food  value  of,  171. 

for  cake,  130. 

for  market,  167. 

for  sandwich,  60. 

hard-cooked,  60,  171. 

jellied  or  coddled,  174. 

poached,  174. 

preserving  for  winter  use,  175. 

selling  fresh,  168. 

storing,  169. 

taking  to  market,  170. 

whipped,  173. 
Ellen  H.  Richards  house,  79,  289. 
Energy : 

from  foods,  278. 

from  milk,  34,  46. 

from  potato,  119. 
English  custom  for  use  of  silver,  80. 
Evaporation,  263. 
Exhibit  of  quick  bread,  179,  183. 
Experiments  with  meat,  212. 

Fahrenheit,  270,  271. 

Family,  how  much  food  to    give,  201, 

268-279. 
Fat: 

in  bread,  51. 

in  chocolate,  27. 

in  meat,  205. 

in  potato,  118. 

potato  warmed  over  in,  125. 
Fermentation,  97. 
Figs,  114,  115,  284. 

Fireless  cooker,  14,  28,  136,  165,  252-254. 
Fish: 

baked,  63. 

buying,  66. 


Fish  {Continued) 

chowder,  65.  ^ 

cooking,  66. 

for  dinner,  199. 

hash,  156. 

scalloped,  63. 

value  as  food,  66. 
Floor,  kitchen,  189. 
Flour : 

in  griddle  cakes,  127. 

kinds  of,  48. 
Flowers  for  table,  77. 
Foamy  sauce,  116. 
Food : 

buying  and  selling,  280-287. 

care  of,  256-267. 

cheap  brands  of,  282. 

dry,  94. 

facts  about,  5-8. 

for  body  building,  6. 

for  work,  6. 

how  to  keep  clean,  256. 

ice  for  keeping,  259. 

keeping  dry,  264. 

keeping  in  the  cellar,  262. 

meat  as,  204-219. 

milk  as,  36. 

potatoes  as,  1 17-126. 

reasons  for  studying  about,  3. 

requirements  for  day,  276. 

table  of  loo-calorie   portions   of,   276, 

'     279. 

to  serve  to  company,  79. 

washing  of,  258. 

window  shelf  for,  263. 

white  bread  as,  44. 

why,  spoils,  94. 
Foodstuffs : 

in  bread,  45. 

in  cake,  129. 

potatoes  as,  117. 

vegetables  as,  226. 
Food  value : 

of  cake,  129. 

of  chocolate,  27. 


3o8 


INDEX 


Food  value  {Continued) 

of  cocoa,  27. 

of  fish,  66. 

of  milk,  46. 

of  potatoes,  46,  [17-126. 

of  white  bread,  44. 
Formal  luncheon,  use  of  silver,  80. 
Fowl: 

cooked  in  Atkinson  cooker,  251. 

principles  of  cooking,  214. 
French  custom  for  use  of  silver,  80. 
Fresh  vegetables,  219-234. 
Frizzled  beef  with,  egg,  151. 
Fruit : 

baking,  iii. 

canning,  92-106. 

for  dessert,  115. 

for  jam,  loi. 

for  jelly,  102. 

preparing  for  preserving  and  canning, 

99; 

stewing,  112. 

using  canned,  114. 

value  of,  108-111, 

with  cornstarch  mold,  239. 

with  squares  of  pie  crust,  242. 
Fruit  acids,  no. 
Fruit-ade,  20. 
Fruit  butter,  loi. 
Fruit  juice,  18,  20,  in. 
Fruit  scallops,  115. 
Fruit  sponge,  236. 
Fruit  tapioca,  n6. 

Garbage,  care  of,  266. 
Garden  making,  219-221. 
Gas,  from  yeast,  49. 
Gastric  juice,  127. 
Gelatin  in  meat,  205. 
Gelatin  mold,  236. 
Germs,  in  milk,  36. 
Gluten,  in  bread,  45. 
Good  bread  flour,  48. 
Good  manners,  79-81. 
Grains,  see  Cereals, 


Green  corn,  composition  of,  225. 
Griddle  cakes : 

digestibility  of,  126. 

for   supper    and    other    meals,    126- 

133- 
to  make  digestible,  127. 
with  sour  milk,  128. 
Guests,  how  to  honor,  78. 

Ham,  boiled,  215. 
Hard  sauce,  115. 
Hash,  corned-beef,  150. 
Hashed  brown  potatoes,  125. 
Hasty  pudding,  150. 
Health : 

clean  milk  for,  36. 

efi^ect  of  meat  on,  205. 

fruit  for,  in. 
Heat: 

"conductors"  of,  250. 

effect  on  potato,  120. 

for  cooking,  247. 

"nonconductors"  of,  250. 
Heat  unit,  273. 
Homemade  ice  box,  259. 
Honest  measures  and  weights,  281. 
Honey,  132. 
Hot  drinks,  26-31. 
Hot  water,  135-139. 
Household  measures,  28. 

Ice: 

caution  about  using,  24, 

for  keeping  food,  259. 

putting  in,  260. 
Ice  cream  custard,  244. 
Impure  water,  22. 
Indian  corn,  161. 
Indian  meal  mush,  162. 
Indian  pudding,  251. 
Iron: 

in  fruit,  20. 

in  potato,  120. 

in  vegetables,  226. 


INDEX 


309 


Jam,  loi,  243. 

Japanese  toweling  for  table,  73 . 

Jars  for  canning,  96,  99. 

Jelly: 

apple,  102. 

barberry,  114. 

blueberry,  103. 

cranberry,  113. 

currant,  103. 

lemon,  237. 
Johnny  cake,  178. 
Junket,  32,  33. 

Kerosene,  cooking  by,  136,  249 
Kitchen : 

arrangement  of,  191. 

clean,  189. 

lesson  about,  186-196. 

Mrs.  Allen's,  187. 

place  for  dining-room    table    in    the, 
72. 

saving  steps  in,  190. 

to  have  hot  water  in,  192. 
Kitchen  cabinet,  192. 
Kitchen  floor,  189. 
Kitchen  sink,  189. 
Kitchen  walls,  189. 
Knife,  use  of,  79,  80. 

Lamb,  cuts  of,  209. 

Lemon  jelly,  237. 

Lemon  juice  for  fruit  beverages,  18. 

Lettuce : 

calorie  portions  of,  275. 

for  salad,  87. 
Lime,  7,  35. 
Luncheon : 

at  school,  9-67. 

definition  of,  56. 

list  of  foods  for,  57. 

nuts  for,  60. 

picnic,  61. 

sandwiches  for,  58. 
Luncheon  club,  10,  15,  24,  40,  61,  65. 


i>    19,  36,    S4» 
257,  268,  274. 


[49. 


Magnesia,  in  fruit,  no. 
Manners  at  table,  79, 
Maple  sugar,  132. 
Marjorie  Allen,   4,  9, 

70,  71,  86,  201,  219 
Marketing  eggs,  170. 
Meal: 

clearing  up  after,  134. 

definition  of,  56. 

effect  of  season  of  year  on 
Measures : 

convenient,  28, 

honest,  281. 

liquid  for  dry,  282. 
Measuring,  spoonfuls  in,  29. 
Meat: 

as  food,  204-219. 

canned,  298. 

cooking,  214,  216. 

danger  from,  210. 

efl^ect  on  health,  205,  206. 

extractives  from,  214. 

for  sandwiches,  58,  60. 

old-fashioned,  soup,  218. 

roasted,  217. 

salted,  corned,  and  smoked,  214. 

scalloped,  83. 

selecting,  211. 
Menu,  147,  199. 
Milk: 

composition  of,  35. 

for  hot  drinks,  36. 

for  school  lunch,  32. 

how  to  keep,  38. 

renneted,  32. 

value  of,  as  food,  32-39,  46. 

lOO-calorie  portions  of,  277. 
Milk  desserts,  238. 
Milk  sherbet,  246. 
Mineral  matter : 

for  body  building,  7. 

in  bread,  45. 

in  food,  7. 

in  fruit,  20,  1 10. 

in  meat,  205. 


3IO 


INDEX 


Mineral  matter  {Continued^) 

in  milk,  35. 

in  potato,  118. 
Miss  Fields,  168. 
Miss  Travers : 

about  bread,  46. 

about  buying  and  selling  foods,  280. 

about  canning  food,  106. 

about  earning  money,  284. 

about  fruit,  108. 

about  griddle  cakes,  126. 

about  pies,  241. 

about  loocalorie  portions,  275. 

at  quick  bread  exhibit,  183. 
Molasses,  19,  126. 
Mold,  94-96. 
Muffins,  180. 
Mutton,  cuts  of,  209. 

Naphtha  soap,  137. 
Napkin,  73,  74. 
Nitrogen,  35,  36. 
Nuts: 

in  bread,  51. 

for  luncheon,  60. 

with  dried  fruit,  114. 

Oatmeal : 

calorie  portions,  275. 

cooking,  158,  159,  165. 

in  griddlecakes,  127. 
Old-fashioned  meat  soup,  218. 
Old-fashioned  Rhode  Island  johnnycake, 

178. 
One-egg  cake,  130. 
Oysters,  64. 

Parsnip,  225. 

Patterns,  for  dishes,  76,  yj. 
Peaches,  iii,  114,  115. 
Pears,  113. 
Peas,  107,  231. 
Phosphorus,  66,  no,  119. 
Pickling,  103. 
Picnic  luncheon,  61. 


2S»  40»  SS>  62,  70, 


1 17-126. 
125. 


Pie,  241-243. 
Pitcher,  13,  77. 
Planting  garden,  220. 
Plants,  119,  221. 
Plates,  74,  140. 
Pleasant  Valley,  3,  10, 
94,  109,  132,  290. 
Plums,  114. 
Popovers,  179. 
Pork,  206,  2H. 
Potash,  no,  119. 
Potato : 

best  way  to  cook,  121. 

boiled,  122. 

calorie  portions,  275. 

creamed,  125. 

food  value  of, 

hashed  brown, 

mashed,  123. 

salad,  87. 

scalloped,  124. 

soup,  232. 
Pots,  for  coffee,  153. 
Pot  roast,  202,  217. 
Pot  stew,  217. 
Poultry,  166. 
Ptomaine  poison,  210. 
Public  drinking  cups,  24. 
Pudding: 

baked  Indian,  240. 

corn  starch,  238. 

creamy  rice,  239. 

suet,  240. 
Pump,  with  fountain  attached,  25. 

Quick  bread : 

exhibit  of,  179. 

experiments  about  making,  184. 

how  to  make  and  serve,  177-185. 

making  light,  183. 
"Quick  lunch,"  173. 

Rack,  for  dishes,  139. 
Rain  barrel  for  water,  194. 
Ready  cooked  cereals,  158. 


INDEX 


3H 


Refrigerator : 

care  of,  262. 

circulation  in,  261. 

Mrs.  Allen's,  260. 

well-built,  261. 
Renneted  milk,  32. 
Rice: 

boiled,  164. 

cooking,  162. 

for  scalloped  dish,  84. 

in  griddlecakes,  127. 

polished,  163. 

section  of  kernel,  163. 

varieties  of,  163. 

where  grown,  162. 
Roast  beef  gravy,  217. 
Rolls,  SI. 
Round  steak,  217. 
Running  water,  193. 
Rye  meal,  45,  162. 

Salad : 

dressing,  87. 

for  supper,  87-90. 

potato,  87. 

tomato  jelly,  89. 
Salmon,  creamed,  64. 
Sandwich,  materials  for,  58. 
Sanitation,  meaning  of,  134. 
Saving  steps  in  kitchen,  190. 
Scalloped  dishes,  84,  124. 
School  kitchen,  27. 
Selling  foods,  280-287. 
Selling  fresh  eggs,  168. 
Septic  tank,  143. 
Sherbet,  246. 
Silver,  use  of,  79. 
Sink,  189,  190. 
Skimmed  milk,  38. 
Soap,  136,  137. 
Soda: 

in  griddlecakes,  127. 

to  make  food  light,  184. 
Soda  biscuit,  181. 
Soft  honey  cake,  133. 


Soft  soap,  135. 
Soup: 

cream  of  tomato,  233. 

dried  vegetables,  232. 

old-fashioned  meat,  218. 

potato,  232. 

tomato,  202. 

vegetable,  231. 
Sour  milk,  33,  39,  127. 
Sour  milk  griddlecakes,  127. 
Spices,  for  cake,  131. 
Spoons,  for  measuring,  29. 

for  soup,  80. 

placing  on  table,  74. 
Squash,  canning,  107. 
Starch : 

and  sugar,  118. 

cooked,  120. 

in  bread,  45. 

in  potato,  117. 

raw,  121. 
Steak: 

broiling,  216. 

compared  with  milk,  37,  171, 
Steam  cooker,  255. 
Steam  pump,  195. 
Sterilizer,  99. 
"Succotash,"  105. 
Sugar : 

for  fruit  beverage,  18. 

for  yeast  cells,  51. 

from  the  farm,  132. 

honey  in  place  of,  132. 

in  bread,  51. 
"  Sugaring  off, "  132. 
Supper: 

dishes  for,  82-92. 

meat  served  for,  83. 

preparing,  69-82. 

salad  for,  87-92. 
Sweet  cakes,  126,  133. 

Table: 

clearing  off,  75,  135,  265. 
cover  for,  70-73. 


312 


INDEX 


Table  {Continued) 

flowers  for,  78. 

for  cooking,  27. 

for  lunch  club,  10. 

how  to  help  at,  75. 

laying,  71-74,  78. 
Table  manners,  79. 
Tank  in  attic,  195. 
Tannic  acid,  91, 
Tea: 

composition  of,  91. 

effect  on  nerves,  26. 

how  to  make,  90-92. 

pots  for,  91. 
Temperature,  how  measured,  269. 
Testing  jars,  100. 
Thanksgiving  dinner,  200. 
"Theine,"  91. 
Thermometer : 

Centigrade,  269, 

Fahrenheit,  270. 

for  oven,  183. 
Toast,  82. 
Tomatoes : 

eating  raw,  227. 

for  catsup,  104. 

salad,  89. 

soup,  202,  233. 

with  meat  dish,  83. 
Tuberculosis,  from  public  drinking  cups, 
24. 

Vanilla,  32,  283. 
Vegetables : 

calorie  portions  of,  223. 

canning,  92-108. 

eating  raw,  227. 

effect  of  cooking  on,  227. 

foodstuffs,  226. 

for  salad,  87. 

how  best  to  cook,  227. 

selling  and  shipping,  287,  288. 

soup,  231. 

steaming,  228. 

stewing,  228. 


Vegetables  {Continued) 
storing,  224. 
time-table  for  cooking,  228. 

Warmed-over  dish  for  winter  supper,  8d 
Washing  dishes,  directions  for,  134-142. 
Washing  off  food,  258. 
Waste  water,  disposal  of,  142. 
Water : 

bacteria  in,  22. 

boiling,  25. 

distilling,  25. 

for  beverages,  18. 

for  body,  7. 

function  in  health  of  body,  21. 

home  supply,  23. 

how  nature  purifies,  22. 

lime  in,  25. 

on  the  farm,  193. 

plenty  of  hot,  135. 

soft  and  hard,  25,  135. 

supply  in  kitchen,  192. 

tank  for,  in  alley,  195. 

to  soften,  135. 

when  improved  by  boiling,  25. 
Well,  how  to  protect,  20-23. 
Wheat,  45,  46. 
Wheat  flour,  48,  49. 
Whey,  35. 

Whipped  cream  salad  dressing,  90. 
White  bread,  44,  52. 
Whole  milk,  35. 
Windmill,  195. 
Window  shelf,  263. 
Work  for  the  year,  8. 

Yeast : 

cause  of  spoiling  foods,  95. 

causes  working  of  canned  fruit,  94. 

cells,  95. 

effect  of  sugar  on,  97. 

for  bread,  49. 

source  of,  50. 

wild  cells,  51. 

why  put  in  bread,  49. 


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